Cookie Dough Truffles

Cookie Dough Truffles- I saw these on the Taste of Home site right before they were posted on this board. The dough was super sticky right after making them, so we let it sit in the fridge for a good few hours and then it was great to work with. Again, we did pecans for these. They are a hit! I'm not sure who to give credit to for these.

Cookie Dough Truffles
Taste of Home

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup HERSHEY’®S Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1-1/2 pounds dark chocolate candy coating, coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Shape into 1-in. balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip balls in coating; allow excess to drip off; Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars- we recently had one of these at Starbucks while we were getting our (almost) weekly coffees. We loved them but thought they were way too rich and were talking about how they were made. Lo and behold, I was searching for something else on this board and found the recipe . So, we decide to make them for our trays. I cut out a whole cup of powdered sugar from the frosting and it was much better. I actually liked these better after sitting a day and have been storing mine in the fridge.

Cranberry Bliss Bar (Starbucks)
~*~Sandy~*~ via Top Secret Recipes

Each holiday season Starbucks brings out one of its most beloved dessert recipes: A soft triangle of white chocolate and cranberry cake, covered with delicious creamy lemon frosting and dried cranberries. But, when the holidays leave us, so do the Cranberry Bliss Bars, and that’s when the dozens of requests to clone the dessert start rolling in here at TSR. Each of the more than 3500 Starbucks stores contracts with local bakeries so that the Bliss Bars are fresh for customers each day. The end result may vary slightly from city to city, but the basic recipe is the same, and it rules. Now you can get your Bliss Bar fix anytime of the year, at a fraction of the cost of the real thing, with a little sneaky kitchen cloning.

CAKE
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

FROSTING
4-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup diced dried cranberries

DRIZZLED ICING
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges. Allow cake to cool.

Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.

Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

Makes 16 bars.

Sandy's Notes: I recommend that you cut back on the frosting, it's quite sweet. Next time I'd use no more than 1/2 to 2/3 of the frosting.

Pan De Sal (Filipino Bread Rolls)

Pan De Sal

· 2 cups milk

· 3/4 cup white sugar

· 1/2 cup butter

· 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

· 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

· 6 cups all-purpose flour

· 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles; remove from heat. Add the butter and sugar; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.

2. Pour the cooled milk mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder and 4 cups of the flour; stir well to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.

3. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

5. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rolls on 2 lightly greased baking sheets. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

Beef Barley Soup

(4Kowboys)

Ingredients

1 pound Lean stew beef, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup Chopped onion
2 Ribs celery, chopped
2 Medium carrots, diced
1 cup Frozen corn
3/4 cup Barley
2 Bay leafs
6 cups Beef broth
Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Preparation
In crockpot, combine stew beef with onion, celery, carrots,corn, barley, bay leaf, and beef broth. Cook beef and barley
soup on low in crockpot for 6 to 8 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Greek Pitas

Greek Pitas
Ourbestbites.com~~ Kathy babybeart&me

Greek Style Pita Sandwiches
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 oz boneless pork loin chops, or boneless skinless chicken, sliced into 1/4" slices
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 C diced tomato
1/4 C diced cucumber
2 Tablespoons diced red onion

6 Tablespoons Greek Style Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 Lettuce leaves
4 pita bread halves
2-3 Tbs crumbled Athenos Feta cheese

Combine pork, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish and set aside. Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat. While pan is heating, combine Greek yogurt, lemon zest, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set in fridge to chill. Add pork mixture to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until pork is cooked through and then remove from heat. Combine tomato, cucumber, and red onion. To assemble, place one lettuce leaf in each pita. Divide pork mixture between pitas, add cucumber and tomato mixture and then top with yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of feta.

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS

· 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast

· 1/2 cup barley

· 1 bay leaf

· 2 tablespoons oil

· 3 carrots, chopped

· 3 stalks celery, chopped

· 1 onion, chopped

· 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables

· 4 cups water

· 4 cubes beef bouillon cube

· 1 tablespoon white sugar

· 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

· 1 (28 ounce) can chopped stewed tomatoes

· salt to taste

· ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a slow cooker, cook chuck roast until very tender (usually 4 to 5 hours on High, but can vary with different slow cookers). Add barley and bay leaf during the last hour of cooking. Remove meat, and chop into bite-size pieces. Discard bay leaf. Set beef, broth, and barley aside.

2. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and frozen mixed vegetables until tender. Add water, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped stewed tomatoes, and beef/barley mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry

Spinach Gruyere Puff Pastry
Paula Deen

1 10oz pack frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 TBL butter, divided
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms or 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4 oz gruyere chs, grated
1 pack frozen puff pastry, thawed

* Drain thawed spinach well
* Melt 2 TBL butter in skillet over med heat. Add mushrooms. Cook 5 min. (If subbing sun dried tomatoes for mushrooms just add them w/ butter & go straight to the next step)
* Stir in spinach & cheese. Mix well & set aside.
* Roll 1 pastry sheet to 13X11.
* Melt 2 TBL butter. Brush butter over pastry. * Spread 1/2 mixture over butter & roll up in a jelly roll fashion.
* Repeat w/ 2nd pastry & wrap in plastic wrap for 10 minutes up to 2 days.
* Cut rolls in 1/4 inch slices & placed on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 min until golden brown.

Note: I prefer the sun dried tomatoes for the color & flavor. When I made it w/ mushrooms tey didn't really add much to it. Also, I brushed an egg wash over them before baking.

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf (fact:bearseatbeats)

via http://annies-eats.com/2009/09/23/garlic-rice-pilaf/

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Have ready a covered casserole dish. In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, the salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Note: This recipe can be doubled without increasing the baking time.

Chicken Gyros

Chicken Gyros

Source: adapted from Annie-Eats

Tzatziki sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

To assemble: Pita bread
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

Directions:
Shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Antipasto Kabobs

Antipasto Kabobs

Misslisa via pointlessmeals.blogspot.com (found on Pinterest)

This is a fun twist on traditional antipasto salad. These would be great to serve as a holiday party appetizer too!
serves 16 ( 2 points+)

9 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini

½ c. balsamic vinegar

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. dried basil

2 T. Dijon mustard

1 T. olive oil

2 tsp. honey

¼ tsp. pepper

1 can (14 oz. ) artichoke hearts packed in water, quartered

grape tomatoes

½ green pepper, cut into 1" pieces

½ red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1 can pitted black olives, drained

¼ lb. thinly sliced deli ham, cut into strips

8 slices hard salami, halved

In a large pot, boil tortellini until pasta rises to the top of the water. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the next 7 ingredients ( through pepper). Add tortellini, artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, olives and ham. Do not marinate the salami. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Thread each kabob with artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, olives, ham, tortellini, and salami. Discard any remaining marinade.

Veggie Tortellini Soup

VEGGIE TORTELLINI SOUP
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) vegetable broth (I use Better Than Boullion)
2 medium zucchini, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 c. refrigerated cheese tortellini
1/3 c. chopped spinach
1 t. minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 t. dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. red wine vinegar
1. In a Dutch oven, sauté carrots and onion in oil until the onion is tender. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
2. Stir in the broth, zucchini, tomatoes, tortellini, spinach, rosemary and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tortellini are tender. Just before serving, stir in vinegar.

Firehouse Stuffed Chicken

FIREHOUSE STUFFED CHICKEN
OP??
4 to 6 chicken breasts, boned and skinned
Fresh spinach, chopped
Feta cheese
1/4 C Italian bread crumbs
5 Tbs Butter
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can of chicken broth
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 Tbs Flour
Ground pepper
Pound chicken breasts until flat. Mound spinach and Feta cheese onto chicken breasts. Carefully roll breasts and secure with toothpicks. Roll chicken breasts in bread crumbs.
In a large aluminum frying pan melt 1/2 stick of butter. Brown breasts in frying pan on all sides for about 5 minutes.
Place breasts in baking dish, add 1 tablespoon of butter and bake in 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes.
While chicken is baking prepare gravy. In same frying pan used for browning, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add mushrooms and saute a few minutes. Add flour and blend until a paste forms. Stir in chicken broth and wine, sprinkle with ground pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat until gravy thickens.
To serve, pour gravy over chicken breasts and serve with rice.
*add 1/4 tsp thyme to sauce

Chicken Sausage, Beans, and Arugula over Pasta

Chicken Sausage, Beans, and Arugula over pasta
elemenoPee

2 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pkg precooked chicken sausages, cut into 1/2 in rounds
1 can black eyed peas (or white beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bunch arugula, washed, trimmed, roughly chopped or torn

1/2 lb pasta

parmigiano reggiano cheese for serving

Heat the oil, add the garlic, cook for 1 min. Add the chicken sausage and brown for a several minutes. Add the beans and chicken broth, heat for a several more min, until the broth reduces a bit. Add the arugula, heat until it's wilted, stirring several times.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and when it's done, drain it, return it to the pot, stir in 1 tblsp olive oil. Plate the pasta and top each serving with the sausage mixture. Grate cheese over each plate.

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Bethany via SmittenKitchen

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slighly less thick.

The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

White Chili

White Chili
Sharon --GatorGrrrl
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1 table fresh Cilantro Leaves
1/8 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

(or leftover Thanksgiving turkey)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 can (19 ounces) white kidney beans (cannellini)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
2 sliced green onions (optional)
Tortilla chips (optional)

Mix garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro and red pepper in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, chiles and spices; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Top with cheese, chips and sliced green onions, if desired.

Slow Cooker Marinara and Meatballs

I combined a new recipe for sauce to make this incredible dish! I am posting both recipes, and you just substitute the jarred sauce for this quick crock pot marinara. Cooked for 9 hours on low and it

Slow Cooker Marinara (Christine0120)

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 (28 oz.) cans	crushed tomatoes	$3.47
1 (6 oz.) can	tomato paste	$0.56
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.54
1/2 Tbsp	minced garlic	$0.10
2 whole	bay leaves	$0.10
1 Tbsp	dried basil	$0.15
1/2 Tbsp	dried oregano	$0.07
1 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.02
1 Tbsp	balsamic vinegar	$0.09
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
TOTAL		$5.15

STEP 1: Cut the onion into a small dice and mince the garlic (or use pre-minced garlic from a jar). Place both in the slow cooker. Also add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, basil, oregano, and freshly cracked pepper. Stir well to combine. If your slow cooker tends to lose moisture and dry things out, add 1/2 to 1 cup of water as well.

STEP 2: Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.

STEP 3: Remove the lid on the slow cooker, stir the sauce, and remove the bay leaves. Season with salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp). Enjoy over your favorite pasta!

Now how easy was that? You can also try adding other ingredients like sliced mushrooms, Italian sausage (cook separately and add to the sauce after it has cooked), crushed red pepper, olive oil (for a richer sauce), bell peppers... the sky is the limit.

Slow Cooker Saucy Meatballs
Amy - amylz

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Turkey
1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup water
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 medium green peppers, sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cups spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. (1 lb.) spaghetti
1/3 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese

COMBINE stuffing mix, meat, egg and water. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in slow cooker; top with mushrooms, peppers and spaghetti sauce. Cover with lid. COOK on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or on for HIGH 3 to 4 hours). COOK spaghetti as directed on package; drain. Serve meatballs with sauce over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese.

Make your slow cooker preparation even faster. Prepare the meatballs and cut-up vegetables the night before. Cover and refrigerate until ready to add to the slow cooker. Top with the spaghetti sauce and continue as directed.

Baked Feta and Pita Bread

Baked Feta: Dh bought me Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros, who I'd never heard of until starting a group blogging project. I'm thrilled to have been introduced to this chef--everything we've tried so far has been great. This baked feta is the absolute best. It is simple--I didn't even really measure the ingredients out--and the results are excellent. The combo of feta, bell pepper, and tomatoes is flavorful and perfect for bread. Served it with homemade pita from the same cookbook...best things I've had in a while. The downside is that as it cools, the feta is hard to manage. Eat fast!

Baked Feta
Michelle (MMmom) from Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros

About 7 oz feta, crumbled
finely chopped green pepper
finely chopped tomato
1-2 TBSP olive oil
1-2 pinches dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Divide the feta between 2-3 small, shallow oven proof dishes (I used creme brulee dishes). Scatter chopped green pepper and tomatoes over the top. Drizzle with olive oil. Crush the oregano between your fingers and sprinkle over the top of each dish. Also top with a grind of black pepper. Bake until a bit crusty along the edges, about 20 minutes.

Pita: I've been using the same pita recipe for about 10 years. I like it b/c it offers different options for fats and sugars, and the results are good. However, this new recipe I tried surpassed it. The texture was fluffy, yet chewy, and perfect. One big difference in the two recipes is that the Tessa Kiros one used bread flour and I normally don't do that. But it made a ton of difference.

Pita Bread
Michelle (MMmom) from Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp honey
3 TBSP warm water
1 heaping tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
6 TBSP olive oil
7 oz water

Sprinkle the yeast in a large bowl. Add the honey and 3 TBSP warm water and mix to dissolve. Leave it till it starts to activate and get frothy. Add salt, flour, oil, and 7 oz water to the dough and mix until a rough dough slumps around your spoon. Change to your hands and knead until you have a soft springy dough, 8-10 minutes. It will seem sticky at first, but that is good, so only add more flour if the dough clings to your hands.

Wipe out the bowl with an oiled paper towel. Put the dough in, cover with plastic wrap, then a heavy cloth, and leave in a warm place to puff up until about double in size (1 1/2-2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 400. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 balls. Press each ball into a flat disk with your hands and leave for 5 minutes for them to relax.

Roll out the disks into a circle about 1/6" thick. Brush lightly with olive oil and put onto unfloured baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time until they are firmed on the first side, 5 minutes or so, then turn them over and bake for another 3 minutes, or until the top surface is dry. You will finish cooking them under the broiler or in the oven when you are about to serve, so they should be a little underdone.

Remove and immediately stack them on top of each other and wrap in plastic wrap to keep them pliable. To serve, brush each side lightly with olive oil and put under the broiler to warm both sides.

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy The Neelys

Turkey Meatballs:
3 slices white bread, crust removed and torn into small shreds
1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 pound ground turkey (recommended: 93 percent lean dark meat)
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying

Spicy Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, in thick puree
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente

For the meatballs: Preheat vegetable oil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, soak the torn white bread with the milk. Let soak for 1minute then remove the bread and squeeze out the excess milk. In another bowl, add ground turkey, turkey sausage, Parmesan, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper. Add milk soaked bread and mix all ingredients gently. Form meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. In a large heavy skillet, add meatballs and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs to a paper towel lined platter. Repeat in batches until there are no remaining meatballs. Add meatballs to the cooked sauce and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. For the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add dried basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Toss spaghetti and sauce with meatballs in a large serving bowl. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Amy’s Notes: I use 1.25 pounds of ground turkey, leave out the sausage and double the sauce!

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts

BAKED PUMPKIN DOUGHNUTS

(weelicious) Irish mom

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Pumpkin Spice

1/4 cup unsalted butter-Softened

1/2 cup Brown sugarr

1 Large Egg

1/2 cup canned Pumpkin Puree

1/3 cup Milk

~CINNAMON ICING~

1/2 cup Powdered sugar

1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon

1 tbsp milk.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Combine 1st five ingredients in a bowl, set aside.

3. In a standijg mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar.

4. Add the egg, the pumpkin puree and milk.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

6. Place the dough in a large zipper bag, seal the bag airtight and then cut off 1/2 inch of the corner.

7. Pipe the dough into doughnuts on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 min and alow to cool.

8. To make the icing, placeall of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

9. Drizzle icing over each doughnut and serve!

Ultimate Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Ultimate Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
5 lb. Russet or Idaho baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
1/4 C. butter, cut into chunks
1 C. sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 to 1 C. milk, warmed

In 4-5 quart slow cooker, place potatoes, chicken broth and butter. Cover, cook on high 4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add remaining ingredients except milk. Mash potatoes well, then stir in enough milk for desired creamy consistency. Cover and keep warm on low until serving time, up to 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Roasted Winter Vegetables
Cyndy (MyPB&Jelly) Taste of Home

3 small red potatoes, cubed
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
1 cup cubed peeled butternut squash
3 shallots, peeled and halved
1 whole garlic bulb, cloves separated and peeled
4-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place the first seven ingredients in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Combine the oil, salt, thyme and pepper; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat.

Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Yield: 6 servings.

Lentil and Squash Curry Soup

Lentil and Squash Curry Soup

Ingredients

2 tsp Salt
2 T Curry powder
12 ounces lentils
2 T Unsalted butter
1 Onion diced
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 T Fresh grated ginger
1 Butternut squash, peeled seeded and cubed
2 14-oz Cans of low sodium chicken stock
2 cups Water

Preparation
Heat butter in large stock pan. Add curry powder and stir till fragrant. Add onion garlic and ginger, cook still translucent.
Add squash cook until beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add stock and water, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer
and cook till squash is tender, about ten minutes. Stir in lentils. Cook until soft 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with cornbread!

Pumpkin Smoothie

Oh YUM. I make these using the canned pumpkin. I just added the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and vanilla to the pumpkin, and then froze it in a non-stick ice cube tray. I just pop out a couple of pumpkin cubes, along with half of a banana that I have already frozen and add them to the milk and yogurt. These are so good for breakfast this time of year.

Recipe: Pumpkin Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

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Ingredients

§ 1 can (15 Ounce) Pumpkin Pie Filling

§ 3 cups Whole Milk (more If Needed)

§ 1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt (up To 1 Cup)

§ A Few Dashes Of Cinnamon

§ Cinnamon Graham Crackers, Crushed

Preparation Instructions

Well ahead of time, place pumpkin pie filling into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for a few hours or until frozen solid.

To make the smoothie, add milk, and yogurt to a blender. Drop in the frozen pumpkin pie filling and blend until the frozen filling is completely pulverized. Add more milk or yogurt as needed to get it the consistency you'd like.

Pour into individual glasses and sprinkle the tops with graham cracker crumbs. Serve immediately!

*Note: Make a lower-calorie smoothie by using unsweetened/unflavored pumpkin puree, nonfat plain yogurt, and the sweetener of your choice.

*Can also sprinkle with cinnamon and/or nutmeg instead of graham cracker crumbs.