Apple Cider Cupcakes

                                                           Apple Cider Cupcakes by Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1

box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow cake mix

1

cup water

1/2

cup vegetable oil

3

eggs

1

cup grated peeled apple

1/2

teaspoon apple pie spice

4

oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

1/4

cup butter, softened

2

cups powdered sugar

1/2

teaspoon vanilla

1

cup apple cider

24

red apple chips (from 2.5-oz bag)

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• 2In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Gently stir in apple and apple pie spice. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• 3Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• 4In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Frost cupcakes.
• 5In small saucepan, heat cider to boiling over medium-high heat. Boil uncovered 20 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Drizzle cider over cupcakes. Cool 10 minutes. Top each cupcake with 1 apple chip.

Pecan Pie Cookies

Pecan Pie Cookies

Ingredients 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan, and stir in the confectioners' sugar and corn syrup until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, and stir in the pecans until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl, and set aside.
3. Beat brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. Pinch off about 1 tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball. Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased cupcake pan cup, and use your thumb to press the dough into a small piecrust shape, with 1/4-inch walls up the sides of the cupcake cup. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Fill each little crust with about 1 teaspoon of the prepared pecan filling.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookie shells are lightly browned, 10 to 13 minutes. Watch closely after 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool in the cupcake pans for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling. 
5. Great recipe care of Allrecipes.com

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Fudge

INGREDIENTS

20 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, roughly chopped 

2 cups brown sugar 

2 and 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar (It’s really important that you sift!) 

1 and 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter 

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup milk (I used 1%) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

DIRECTIONS Line an 8 x 8 pan with saran wrap so that it will be easy to lift the fudge out of the pan. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a rolling boil, then cook for exactly 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter and mix to combine. Then add in vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of your mixer. Add in sifted confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, mixing between adding more. After you’ve added all of the confectioners sugar, mix well! The mixture is going to be really thick. Press the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures over the fudge and gently press them down. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until firm, then use the saran wrap as handles to lift the fudge out of the pan and cut into small squares. 

Crock Pot Green Chile Enchilada Soup

Crock Pot Green Chile Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
• 2 - 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
• 2 - 15 oz. cans mild green enchilada sauce
• 2 - 4 oz. cans diced green chiles
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 TB cumin
• 1 TB chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2/3 cup corn (if frozen, thaw out)
• 2/3 cup instant rice
• 1 - 8 oz. bar cream cheese (cubed)
• salt and pepper
• Monterrey Jack Cheese

Instructions

1. Place chicken broth, enchilada sauce, green chiles, water, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and shredded chicken in crock pot on HIGH. Cook for 3.5 hours.
2. After cooking for 3.5 hours add corn, rice and cubed cream cheese. Stir and cook for half hour.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste and top with Monterrey Jack Cheese. Serves 4-6.

Twix Cookies

TWIX COOKIES

 

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If you love Twix, then you will LOVE these cookies! Shortbread cookie, caramel filling and chocolate topping- they are INCREDIBLE!

Author: Nikki

Recipe type: Dessert

INGREDIENTS

Shortbread Cookies

• 1½ cups butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3½ cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Caramel Layer

• 15 oz of caramel (I use Peter's caramel that comes in a 5 lb. block because I can simply just melt it down in the microwave as is and its ready to go, no evaporated milk required, but you can use Kraft caramels as well. Just follow package directions for melting)

Chocolate layer

• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons shortening

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, flour and salt and mix until well combined.
3. Dump dough onto a lightly flour surface.
4. Roll dough out to ½ inch thick.
5. With a small biscuit cutter, cut out cookies and place on greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F 14-16 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cookies cool completely.
8. Melt caramel according to package directions. Spread over cooled cookies. Let caramel cool completely before spreading on the chocolate.
9. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment until melted and smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled caramel.
10. Let chocolate set before eating and serving. I popped mine in the fridge/freezer to get the chocolate to set faster.

Favorite Apple Pie Recipe by Bobby Flay

APPLE PIE 

Ingredients

Pie Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Apple Filling:
5 Northern Spy apples
3/4 cup fine sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions

Combine the flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut room temperature shortening into flour until mixture is uniform and shortening resembles large peas. Beat egg, water, and vinegar together to blend. Pour all of the liquid evenly over flour mixture. Stir in with fork until all of the mixture is moistened. Divide dough in half and shape each into a ball. Flatten each into a 4-inch circle. Wrap and chill dough for 15 minutes for easier rolling.

Dust rolling pin and work surface lightly with flour. Roll dough to a uniform thickness. Roll to a circle about 1-inch larger than upside down 8-inch pie plate. Carefully place one dough circle into pie plate and gently press into form of plate. Trim excess dough around the edge with the back of a knife.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel, core, and slice apples. Mix apple slices with sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Place apple mixture in pie shell. Place second pie crust on top and form to the edges of the pie plate. Cut slits in the top crust to allow for steam to release in oven. Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until pie is fully baked and apples are tender.

Recipe courtesy Carol Chudleigh

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Guacamole Salad

Deconstructed Guacamole Salad

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, in thick slices
1 red onion, sliced in half moons
A generous handful of coriander
Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Salt and pepper to season

Dressing-
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
-Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and set aside.
-Assemble the ingredients for the salad on a serving platter, start with the slices of avocado then top with the red onion slices and then the cherry tomatoes. Pick off little leaves of coriander and sprinkle all over the top of the salad.
-Drizzle over the dressing and then season with sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper.
-Serve straight away.

Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple Salsa
inspired by Chef Jamie

Ingredients
1/2 a pineapple {or 1 can} roughly chopped
1/3 red onion, diced
1 tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 large handful parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice {or sub lime}
salt and pepper

Method | Simple. Mix together and season to taste. Make sure some of the pineapple juice gets in the mix to ensure it’s extra tasty.

Tiana's Famous Beignets

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup water

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Vegetable oil for frying

powdered sugar for dusting

In a medium bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk together. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, water, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture. Use some of remaining flour to dust work surface. Place dough on it and pat into a large 1/2 inch thick square, Dust the top with more flour it sticky. Slice the dough into 2 1/2 inch squares. Heat oil. Carefully drop 3 squares at a time into hot oil. Fry them for 3 minutes, turn them over, and continue frying for 3 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack and set on top of paper towels to drain. Dust with powdered sugar.

Charlotte's Coffee Cake

Butter for greasing pan

Cinnamon Filling:

1/3 cup brown sugar

4 Tbsp. softened butter

 2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Coffee Cake:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

16 oz sour cream

powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350*. Grease a Bundt pan, making sure you get into all the grooves. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon filling in a bowl and blend them with your fingers. In another bowl, combine flour, powder, soda, and salt. Set both mixtures aside. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix the sugar into the butter until soft and smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the vanilla and sour cream. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Spoon half of the batter in pan and sprinkle the cinnamon filling on top. Pour in the remaining batter. Drag a knife back and forth to swirl. Bake the coffee cake for 50-60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert on wire rack and cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Banana French Toast

1 lb. loaf french or Italian bread cut into thick slices
1-2 large bananas
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

First, cut a wide deep slit through the top crust of each bread slice. Stuff each pocket with 3-4 banana slices. In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs and milk. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high. Dip each bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Cook the french toast 2-3 minutes on the first side till golden brown. Then flip and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Serve with butter, and maple syrup.

Cal's Chicken and Biscuits

Fillings:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. dried sage, and dried thyme
2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups cooked peas, and corn
salt and pepper to taste
Biscuit Topping:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup milk

Melt the butter for the filling over medium heat. Stir in onions. Put a lid on the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the flour. Whisk the broth into the pan. When it starts to thicken, whisk in the milk. Add the sage, thyme, chicken, peas, and corn. Continue cooking and stirring for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pan from the stove top and heat the oven to 375*. Meanwhile, make the biscuit topping by combining the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the butter. Pour in the milk and stir just until the dough pulls together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it 2-3 times with floured hands. Pat the dough into a 1/2 inch thick disk. Using a small cookie cutter, cut out dough circles and place as many as will fit, barely touching, on the filling. Bake until the biscuits brown and the filling bubbles, about 20-30 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Skillet Cornbread

3 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Heat oven to 400*. Use a pat of the butter to grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Remove the pan. Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Separate bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk. Pour the melted butter into buttermilk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir the batter just until evenly blended, Then pour into buttered skillet. Bake the cornbread until toothpick clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes.

Naveen's Green Bean's

2 lbs. fresh green beans
1/2 cup diced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and trim the beans, then snap them in half. Place the beans in a saucepan with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the beans until just barely tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately rinse them in cold water to stop cooking process. Saute onions, and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add basil, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Stir in the green beans and cook the mixture for 3-4 minutes to heat it through.

Swamp Water Smoothie

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup blueberries, washed
1 frozen banana

Measure all of the ingredients into a blender and put the top on. Blend on the puree setting until smooth, about 30 seconds or so.

Juju's Juleps

2 cups cold water
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
1/3 cup sugar
4 mint sprigs
1 quart ginger ale

Combine the water, lemon juice, sugar, and mint in a bowl. Let the mixture set for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid into a pitcher. Pour in ginger ale. Serve the juleps over ice in tall glasses.

Ray's Mud Pie

20 whole chocolate graham crackers
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 quart chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup chocolate fudge topping
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered hot cocoa mix

Seal the graham crackers in a large bag. Crush. Add melted butter. Pour into mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. When the crumbs have cooled, press them into bottom and sides of pan. Freeze the crust for 20 minutes. Scoop half the ice cream into a bowl and let it soften for about 10 minutes. Then spread int in the chilled crust. Dig 8 holes in the ice cream and fill with fudge topping. Freeze the crust for another 10 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips into remaining ice cream. and then spread it over the pie. Return the pie to the freezer. Beat heavy cream for 3-5 minutes to thicken. Add cocoa mix and beat for 2 more minutes. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie and sprinkle on the remaining cracker crumbs. Wrap up pie in plastic and freeze it for 3-4 hours.

Louis's Alligator Cake

10 inch bundt cake
16 oz white buttercream frosting
Green food coloring
Large marshmallows
4 malted milk balls
Gummy spearmint leaves
Green M&Ms
White yogurt-covered pretzels

Cut the cake into 3 equal pieces. Slice one of the pieces in half at a 45 degree angle. Arrange the cake pieces on a tray or platter to create a curvy alligator body. Use one of the angled halves, placed cut-side down, for the tail. Slice the other angled half into 4 equal pieces for feet. Stir drops of food coloring into the frosting until you have a deep green. Frost entire cake. Cut the marshmallows in half and place the halves on the cake for eyeballs. Press malt ball up against for pupil. Press 2 more on nose for snout. Press gummy leaves and m&MS into frosting along the body for scales, and add leaf to foot for toes. Break yogurt pretzels in half and stick them into frosting along the side of the cake to create teeth.