Chicken Bryan

My favorite dish at Carrabba's is their Chicken Bryan and I found a recipe online that tastes exactly like the real thing.  DELICIOUS! I changed the recipe just a hint and downsized it for 1.  The picture of the chicken is 1 breast, cut into 3 "filets."  Sooooooo yummy!

CHICKEN BRYAN

Brush chicken with oil and season.  Cook in skillet over med-high heat until golden brown:

2 chicken filets (1 large chicken breast cut to make two thin breasts)

salt, to taste

fresh ground pepper, to taste

olive oil

While you are cooking the meat, prepare the sauce:

Sautee over low-med heat:

2 TBS butter

½-1 teaspoon minced garlic (I just used the pre-minced garlic from a jar)

Minced onions, to taste

Add & Simmer until the chicken is ready:

½ tsp lemon juice (I used the little lemon shaped bottle you buy at the store.)

¼ tsp “better than broth” chicken base

1-2 fresh basil leaves

Plate your dish:

Chicken filet

Spoonful of goat cheese on top

Drizzle lemon butter sauce, to taste

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I didn’t add this because I am allergic L)

Fresh basil leaves, chopped

The lemon butter sauce is perfect on pasta too!  YUM!

 

Recipe from Food.com: http://www.food.com/recipe/original-carrabbas-chicken-bryan-not-copycat-361631

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

I tried this recipe from Food.com about a month ago because I love the appetizer at Cheesecake Factory so much.  It was great!  I love the southwestern sauce the most!  It is great on a fiesta salad or tacos! 

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

SALSA VERDE
2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
4 ounces mild green chilies
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
salt & fresh ground pepper

TOMATO SALSA
1 medium Tomato, diced
1 tablespoon Spanish onion, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, fresh minced
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 jalapeno, small minced
salt
fresh ground pepper

SOUTHWESTERN SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
salt
garlic powder

TAMALE CAKES
1 1/2 cups corn, sweet frozen
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup masa harina (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

GARNISH
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 Avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh chopped
 

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare SALSA VERDE by combining all ingredients in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.
2. Prepare TOMATO SALSA by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill.
3. Prepare SOUTHWESTERN SAUCE by combining all ingredients is a small bowl. Cover and chill.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
5. For the TAMALE CAKES coarsely puree 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor.
6. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar and salt.
7. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth.
8. Add masa and flour and blend well.
9. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn by hand.
10. Measure 1/2 cup portions and form into 3-inch patties.
11. Arrange patties on a baking sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes are browned on the bottom.
12. Carefully flip cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.
13. While the cakes are baking, spoon some Salsa Verde onto a platter.
14. Coat the entire plate with about 1/4 in of the salsa.
15. Arrange the Tamale Cakes on the Salsa Verde.
16. Spoon a dollop of sour cream on to each cake.

Apple Pie Cupcakes

I got this idea from a mixture of two recipes- Thank you to Inspired Taste and Joy the Baker!  This is the best Apple Pie filling I've ever used!  I think the secret is the Pink Lady Apples! 

Apple Pie Cupcakes

 

Takes ~1hour start to finish.  Makes 32 cupcakes.

PART I:  THE APPLES
Mix and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.  This helps the natural juices come out!
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 Pink Lady Apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp (heaping), nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

STRAIN the apples:  After the 30 minutes, strain the excess juices and 2 TBS butter into a microwave safe bowl.  You don't have to mix the butter into the juices.  It will do this on its own.  Microwave on high for 6 minutes.

While you are microwaving the juice, add 1 TBS plus 1 tsp cornstarch to the strained apples.  Toss until you can't see the white from the starch.

SYRUP:  Pour the microwaved syrup over the apples and toss to coat.  (Note from Joy the Baker: "Do not be concerned if the liquid hardens on contact with the apples; it will dissolve during baking.")

PART II.  THE CRUST
While you let the apples sit for 30 minutes, prepare the muffin cups.  Flatten out each cinnamon roll and line in each muffin cup.  (Don't try and use a rolling pin...it doesn't work.)
4 cans Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls (*KEEP the icing for later!)
32 muffin cup liners (you WILL want these.  The sugary apple filling bubbles a little and your cupcakes will get stuck to the pan.)

PART III.  THE CRUMB TOPPING
You know the drill!  Mix together and prep for assembly!
4 TBS chilled butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup + 2 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts

PART IV.  ASSEMBLY
Crust, apple filling, crumb topping, Bake at 400'F for 10-12 minutes.  Don't over cook them!

PART V.  THE SWEET STUFF ON TOP!
You can stick with whipped cream and caramel sundae syrup...or, you can create caramel cream cheese icing!  I just mixed all the pre-packaged icings from the Pillsbury cinnamon roll packages with caramel sundae syrup until it tasted good.  I put a lot in.  It actually probably turned out to be equal parts syrup to icing.  Yum!  Drizzle over the top and enjoy warm or cool. 

ENJOY!

Orange Rolls

I used my Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Recipe and just made a few replacements to create an Orange Roll recipe.  Yummmm!  (I know this picture isn't the best, but they were gone before I could take a good pic :-)  I made the changes bold in the recipe below.

ORANGE ROLLS

(updated 1/8/2017)

Makes ~12 to 15 rolls. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Grease a 9x13 (I use parchment paper...easy clean up.)

ROLLS- In a large bowl, add following. Stir and sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.

1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

2 tablespoons yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix in the following:

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

2 tsp orange extract

Add salt and then flour, cup by cup, until a ball of dough forms and pulls from the bowl. If it’s too sticky to handle, add more flour.

4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

zest from 2 oranges

Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft. Lightly cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

FILLING

Evenly roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12 by 15 inches.  Spread on:

ground cinnamon

Sprinkle with ground nutmeg

Mix until the orange zest moistens the sugar, then spread over dough:

1 cup sugar

Zest from 4 oranges
 

Roll up the dough from the long end. You want to roll a bit tightly so the filling doesn’t ooze out when the rolls are baked. At the end of the roll, pinch the long seam together to seal.

Next, cut the rolls. Continue slicing in 1 1/2 inch increments. If your measurements are all pretty accurate, you should have about 12 rolls.  Place the rolls into the pan with the sides touching each other. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Lots-o-GLAZE

Prepare the icing by beating together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS butter, softened

Slowly add:

3-4 cups powdered sugar (Use more/less for desired consistency

1 tsp orange extract

1 1/2 TBS milk

1 1/2 TBS orange juice concentrate

Individual Oreo Cheesecakes with Whipped Cream

I have wanted to try these for a while and I am glad I made them!  They are really tasty and SUPER EASY to make!!!  When I find lemon Oreos, I am making these little gems.

Individual Oreo Cheesecakes

with Whipped Cream

Original Recipe from Domestic Superhero

Preheat oven to 275'F....(YES 275, NOT 375).  Line 36 muffin tins with paper liners.  
Place 1 Oreo in the bottom of each lined cup:
36 whole Oreos (NOT double stuff)  (By the end of everything, you'll need 2 packages of oreos)

In the mixer, beat until smooth:
4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature

Graudually add:

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt.

4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

Pinch of salt

Stir/fold in by hand:
17 Oreos- chopped into big chunks (4 cuts for 1 Oreo)



I put about 1/4 cup of cheesecake mixture in each cup liner on top of each oreo.
Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the cakes crack on top.  Rotate pans 1/2 way through baking.
Let the cakes cool in the muffin tins.  Refrigerate over night.  
When ready to serve, make whip cream:

Whipped Cream

original recipe from Baked by Rachel

Whip until stiff peaks form.  Then, pipe onto cheesecakes. 
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
6 TBS powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Garnish cheesecakes with whole or crushed Oreos and ENJOY!

Note from Domestic Superhero's website:

Cupcakes should be refrigerated if not eating/serving. They will spoil if left out for a long period of time. These should keep well in the fridge for up to a week (though, the longer they sit, the soggier the cookie gets on the bottom-but it still tastes good!)

Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I found this recipe on Thursday and made the cookies for work.  I didn't take a picture of the triple chocolate cookies with nuts, but they were the best.  I've never made chocolate chip cookie with molasses, but they stayed chewy and they had the PERFECT flavor.  This is my new GO TO chocolate chip recipe!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

with Molasses

 

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Preheat oven to 375'F.  Cream together:
2 sticks butter (softened)
1 large eggs
1 TBS molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk  (I made this change and I loved it!)

In another bowl, mix the following:
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar (packed)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Mix dry mixture into creamed mixture.  Then, add whatever you want!
semi-sweet chocolate chips
semi-sweet, milk, and white chocolate chips
semi-sweet, milk, and white chocolate chips & pecans, chopped
m&ms
oh the options are endless!!!

I made about 1 inch balls, put them on parchment paper, Baked for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Don't overbake.

EAT!  EAT EAT EAT!  SOOOO GOOD!  ENJOY!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting

This was amazing.  It really tasted like a snickerdoodle, but it was in a cupcake....trippy!!!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes 

with Brown Sugar Frosting

Original Recipe from Fabtastic Eats

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes- Yields 3 dozen cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 and place liners in a cupcake pan.  

In an electric mixer, CREAM together & add eggs 1 at a time, combining well after each egg:

1 1/2 stick of butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar  

4 large eggs & 1 egg yolk

Wisk/Sift together in a separate bowl:

3 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

3 3/4 TBS ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt

Wisk together in another bowl:
3/4 cup buttermilk (=3/4 c. milk + 3/4 TBS vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- Slowly add the both bowls (flour mixture & buttermilk mixture) to the electric mixer.  Alternate between the dry and liquid mixtures as you add.  

Wise words of wisdom from Fabtastic Eats:  

"Only mix until combined so you don't over mix. Overmixing=dry cupcakes."

- Fill each cupcake liner 3 TBS of batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool cupcakes, then frost with:

Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting

3 sticks butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

6 cups powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
5 1/2 TBS milk

Whip it ALL together!  Add milk last to reach desired consistency.  "With the brown sugar in the mix, the frosting is not the same texture as a powderedsugar-only buttercream. It's thicker and slightly grittier."

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

I know the picture sucks, ok.  The food was gone before I had a chance to get a good picture because it was so tasty.  I saw this recipe on Handle the Heat and knew this combo was worth trying, but I played around with the recipe to make it easier.  It was a sweet & spicy dish and worth trying!

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

Fill a 13x9 pan with:
- a single layer of frozen chicken tenderloins (I used about 8-9 tenderloins)

In a bowl, mix the following, then pour mixture over the chicken in the 13x9 pan:
- 18 oz. jar raspberry preserves, (seedless)
- the zest and juice from 1-2 limes
- 7oz. can chipotles in adobo sauce (I used a whole can and MY nose was starting to run.  I like it spicy though.  My dad said he would have used 1/4 of the can.  DON'T USE THE SAUCE, just pull the chipotles out and dice them.)
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic

Sprinkle and Drizzle over the top of everything in the 13x9 pan:
fresh cracked pepper
salt
1 TBS olive oil

Cover with foil.  Cook at 350'F for 1 hour 10 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!!!!!!!

Um....Yum.  YUuUuMMMmm. YUM.  This is easy, fast, and delicious!  Thank you LaaLoosh for the recipe!  It might not LOOK pretty, but it has a wonderfully savory taste!

BALSAMIC ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Recipe and Details from LaaLoosh 

Preheat oven to 400'F.  Place in 13x9 pan:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (I used frozen, but it took 1 hour to cook).

4 large shallots, thinly sliced

Mix in a bowl and then pour over chicken and shallots:

1/3 c. soy sauce

1/3 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. honey

5 cloves minces garlic

1 tsp black pepper, (I used freshly cracked pepper)

Make sure the chicken has the sauce all over it.  Then place rosemary on top:

-4 sprigs fresh rosemary- stripped from stem (or, original recipe calls for 2 TBS dried rosemary)

Bake for 1 hour or until chicken is done.  (My chicken was frozen when I put it in so it will take less time if it is thawed.)  I didn't cover the dish with foil, but the original recipe says to cover the pan with foil until the last ten minutes.  I think it is fine without the foil.  

Serve warm over rice!  YUM!!!

 
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Entire recipe makes 6 servings
Each serving = 5 Points+

Garlic Parmesan Knots

I got this idea from The Seaside Baker, but I used the Busby Breadstick recipe.  They are the new family favorite dinner rolls and they are...start to finish ~30-45 min!  P.S.  I know my pictures stink.  I'm looking into getting a ...well, a job first, then an iPod touch with a nicer camera!

Garlic Parmesan Knots

Yields ~40 knots (2 cookie sheets full)

Dissolve & let proof ~5min:
2 TBS yeast
4 TBS sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups warm/hot water

Add:
6 cups flour (more or less until soft dough forms)

Roll out on PAM sprayed counter like you would roll out dough to make cinnamon rolls.  
Then, pour butter over rectangle of dough:
1/2 cup melted butter (1 cube)

With Pizza cutter, slice rectangle into triangles (~3-5 inch edges) and roll up like croissants.  Butter the tops:
another 1/2 cup melted butter (1 cube)

Then sprinkle tops with the following mixture (adjust to taste):
1 cup parmesean (from the shaker)
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
parsley flakes (for color :-)

Bake 20 minutes at 350'F or until golden brown on top.

Thai Peanut Dressing

I just whipped this up the other day to drizzle over chopped cabbage and it was a hit with my Dad and I.  Yummm!

Thai Peanut Dressing

Mix together.  Then taste and fidget with it until you like it. (Approximate measurements)
1/4 c. olive oil
1-2 TBS vinegar
3 TBS sugar
1 TBS peanut butter
2 tsp minced garlic
2 shakes of cayenne pepper (increase for more kick!)

1 shake of ground ginger, salt & pepper to taste

No Rise, Fluffy, Chewy Cinnamon Rolls

I didn't have pumpkin to make the pumpkin cinnamon rolls, so I just made a few adjustments, and the result is now my new GO TO CINNAMON ROLL RECIPE!  Fluffy, Chewy, QUICK cinnamon rolls!

No Rise, Fluffy, Chewy Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 12 rolls

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Grease 9x13

 

ROLLS
In a large bowl, add following. Stir and sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.

1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

2 tablespoons yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix in the egg and applesauce.

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

Add salt and then flour, cup by cup, until a ball of dough forms and pulls from the bowl. If it’s too sticky to handle, add more flour.

4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Knead for 5 minutes with bread hook in mixer.  Lightly cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a Pam sprayed counter.  The dough should be smooth and soft.

Evenly roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12 by 15 inches. Sprinkle with:

2/3 cup butter, softened

lots of cinnamon

sprinkles of nutmeg

ground up cinnamon chips (optional)

Optional (I didn't add any sugar and they were still great)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

pecans, chopped

raisins, disgusting, but if you want them :-)
 

Roll up the dough from the long end. At the end of the roll, pinch the long seam together to seal.

Next, cut the rolls. Continue slicing in 1 inch increments.  Place the rolls into the pan with the sides touching each other. Bake for 20-25 minute.

Lots-o-GLAZE

Prepare the icing by beating together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS butter, softened

Slowly add:

3-4 cups powdered sugar (Use more/less for desired consistency)

1 tsp vanilla

3 TBS milk

Pour the icing over the still warm cinnamon rolls for an ooey gooey treat!

Found this, tried this, LOOOOOVED THIS!

Left over cranberry sauce from the holidays?  Make a box mix of brownies and swirl in leftover cranberry sauce (I used 1/2 can ocean spray cranberry sauce...not jelly.)  Bake a little longer than instructed on the brownie box and enjoy!

Cranberry Brownies

(Picture and original idea from Confections of a Foodie Bride)

No Rise Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

I tried these this morning and they were tasty.  I think I'm still a tradtionalist when it comes to my cinnamon rolls though.  But, worth trying this recipe for Thanksgiving :-)

No Rise Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls 

Original recipe from Now You're Cookin'

Makes 10-12 rolls

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Grease 9x13

 

ROLLS- In a large bowl, add following. Stir and sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.

1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

2 tablespoons yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix in the egg and pumpkin.

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin

Add salt and then flour, cup by cup, until a ball of dough forms and pulls from the bowl. If it’s too sticky to handle, add more flour.

4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft. Lightly cover the dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare the filling.

FILLING

In a medium bowl, stir the butter and pumpkin together until uniform.

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Mix in cinnamon and nutmeg.

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Evenly roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 12 by 15 inches. Spread the filling evenly over the dough and THEN sprinkle with the sugars:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar
 

Roll up the dough from the long end. You want to roll a bit tightly so the filling doesn’t ooze out when the rolls are baked. At the end of the roll, pinch the long seam together to seal.

Next, cut the rolls. Continue slicing in 1 1/2 inch increments. If your measurements are all pretty accurate, you should have about 10 rolls. Place the rolls into the pan with the sides touching each other. Bake for 25 minutes

Lots-o-GLAZE

Prepare the icing by beating together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS butter, softened

Slowly add:

3-4 cups powdered sugar (Use more/less for desired consistency)

1 tsp vanilla

3 TBS milk

Pour the icing over the still warm cinnamon rolls for an ooey gooey treat!

Mom's Rice Crispy Treats

If you have ever been privileged to taste these, you'll know what I mean when I say they are ADDICTIVE.  I'm pretty sure Ashton and I downed 10 yesterday...each.

Mom's Rice Crispy Treats

In a LARGE bowl, place:
10 cups rice crispies
1 1/2 c. peanut butter (stick in the center of the bowl in one clump. Don't try to mix yet)

Make a well in the peanut butter clump and stick vanilla inside:
1 tsp vanilla


In a saucepan over med-high heat, stir until this reaches a boil.  Then pour directly over the bowl of ingredients, melting the peanut butter clump:
1 cup light karo syrup
1 cup sugar

STIR STIR STIR until combined. Then, divide mixture onto 2 cookie sheets and flatten out.
For the TOPPING, you can either have chocolate or butterscotch.  My favorite is butterscotch!!!  

Over med-high heat, stir constantly to melt.  Then spread over top of 1 cookie sheet:
Chocolate topping (covers only 1 cookie sheet):
1 bag semi sweet chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chips

OR Butterscotch topping (covers only 1 cookie sheet):
2 bags butterscotch chips

You have to let these freeze for about 10 minutes before you can cut them.  Otherwise, they fall apart because they haven't hardened.  Your patience will pay off :-)  ENJOY!

Homemade Sausage Biscuits

I have found that I am a PICKY breakfast person...or rather, my stomach is.  My stomach gets upset in the mornings if I eat something wrong.  Things that make my stomach go "ugh" in the morning: cereal, eggs, tortillas, oatmeal, yogurt, ....well, as you can see, I am in trouble.

BUT....I LOVE McDonald's Sausage Biscuits.  For some reason, they ALWAYS hit the spot.  Well, I can't go buy one every morning, so, I figured I needed to learn how to make my own.  These were great.  I didn't have all the ingredients, but my substitutions worked great.  I definitely found a keeper! 

Ashley's Homemade Sausage Biscuits

BISCUITS
Mix the following, knead, form 2 biscuits, & cook for 8-9 min at 450'F:

1/3 c. Biscuik mix

1 TBS + 1 tsp. milk

PATTIES

In a medium bowl, drizzle over meat:
1 TBS maple syrup (I used 1 TBS Aunt Jemima with 1-2 drops maple extract/flavoring)
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb ground pork/turkey (I used 1.25 lbs beef an it worked great)
   
Mix seasonings in a separate bowl and then mix thoroughly with hands into meat mixture:
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds (I didn't have this, so I used another 1/2 tsp ground thyme)
3 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I used cayenne pepper and it wasn't hot at all)

pinch ground cloves
pinch nutmeg


Form 14 patties, set aside 2 & freeze the rest with wax paper between each pattie: 
(I formed 7 patties. Each pattie makes 2 small patties)

Cook 2 patties in skillet over med-high heat with:
1 TBS olive oil

(8 pts)

Original Recipe for Picture Perfect Meals' sausage patties can be found here.

Fall Veggies

I tried these tonight and the roasted veggies were wonderful!

Roasted Root Vegetables 

(picture from livelearnloveeat.com.  Click here for recipe.)

Toss together in bowl and roast on 2 cookie sheets at 375'F for 20 minutes.  Then flip and cook for 20 more minutes

• 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
• 3 medium russet potatoes, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium parsnips, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Wake me up whenever!

Pretty Much Bisquick Biscuits!  

Wonderful and easy!  Just dump in the mixer and then roll out biscuits and BAKE!

Mix and knead:
1/3 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk (or less)

Put on ungreased cookie sheet (makes about 15)
Bake at 450'F for 7-11 minutes.

"Hart"y Sausage gravy

In a saucepan, brown:
1/2 pound sausage 

When cooked, add ingredients to pick up the grease from the bottom of the pan:
1/4 cup flour
1 c. milk

Then, add milk until you have desired amount of gravy (~2-3 cups more milk).  Let thicken, then pour over biscuits

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

Just in time for FALL!  So yummy!  (Can you see the angelic gleam around the plate?  Its because they are heavenly.  Just sayin' :-)  Original recipe from Knead to Cook's blog post.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cookies

Beat together until fluffy:
1 cup of butter, room temperature
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar

Add:
1 tablespoon flax seed meal (optional)
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Mix in another bowl then add to other ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups of oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon salt

Stir in:
1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

Bake at 350'F for 13-15 minutes. 
Let cool and then top with Hershey Pumpkin Pie Spice Kisses! 

Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Pear and Pistachio Cake

Ok.  So, I know I don't have a great camera, but its really sad when my first 5 submissions to my FAVORITE website (foodgawker.com) were denied because of "awkward angles" and "poor lighting".  I know.  Its true.  I'm not denying it.  AND...to be fair, I go to foodgawker.com instead of allrecipes BECAUSE the beautiful pics make the food seem more appealing.  So, here is my pic and here is the professional pic.  Whatever the pic shows, this is DELICIOUS!!!! (P.S. Mine looks more chocolate-y because I crumbled the chocolate a little much, but DELISH!)  So, down to business.  I've been wanting to try this for a while and it was worth it!  Restaurant posh quality cake baby!  Enjoy!  Recipe and professional pic from Technicolor Kitchen.

Dark Chocolate Pear and Pistachio Cake

Preheat oven to 350'F and heavily butter a 9" spring form pan.

In a blender, mix for ~2-3 minutes until fluffy:
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
Add each egg one at a time:
3 eggs
Then add:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, sift together then add to butter/egg mixture:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Blend in a food processor and stir into batter:
1 cup dark chocolate
 ½ cup unsalted pistachios (shelled, obviously :-)

Stir in:
1 Packham pear, (cored, peeled, and chopped into small pieces)....(I think I used a Bartlett)

Pour batter into spring form pan and bake at 350'F for 35 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean from the center.  When finished, place the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes to cool so you can pop the cake out of the pan.  Cover with ganache (below *modified from original recipe) and ENJOY!!!!!

GANACHE!
Cook on low until it bubbles:
1 cup sugar
5 TBS. butter
1/3 c. milk

Add chocolate and once it melts add it to the top of the cake:
1 cup milk chocolate chips