Sugar Cookies

For Valentine's Day, I made my first batch of sugar cookies from scratch. I wanted to make my own royal icing, but could find the meringue powder, so I just used Betty Crocker icing. I found out later, Wilton makes the meringue powder. You need this powder in order for the icing to harden.


Basic Vanilla Sugar Cookie
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and combine until egg is completely incorporated. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until no trace of dry ingredients remain.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thickness and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.

Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Royal Icing

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup meringue powder

1/4 cup water

gel food coloring

Mix powdered sugar and meringue powder in bowl of stand mixer until well combined. Slowly add water and mix until you get the consistency you want*. Add food coloring to achieve your desired color.

For outlining: consistency should be like glue paste

For flooding: add enough water so that the consistency is pretty runny

* Note: Royal Icing is extremely forgiving. If you find you've added too much water and the icing is too runny, just add more powdered sugar. Vice versa if your icing is too thick.

Recipe courtesy of http://treats-sf.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine-cookies.html

Chicken Parmigiana

I came across this wonderful dish while searching for new dinner ideas. I'm in a dinner rut. I found this recipe on Kevin and Amanda's blog that I follow. I made this tonight for my parents for an early Valentine's Day dinner. Definitely a repeater.

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tbsp steak seasoning
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb noodles – I used vermicelli
2 tbsp butter
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
6-8 basil leaves, chiffonaded
1-2 tbsp fresh, finely chopped parsley, divided
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
shredded mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.Layer chicken between wax paper and pound breasts to even thickness.

2.Whisk together flour, parmesan cheese, salt, and steak seasoning in a medium bowl. Coat chicken in flour mixture.

3. Add 1 tbsp of salt and 1 tbsp olive oil to a large pot of water and bring to boil. Boil noodles according to package.

4. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook about 2 minutes.

5. Pour in tomatoes and sugar. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and continue simmering for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered, stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Lower heat and keep sauce warm. Add in basil and 1 tbsp parsley and stir well just before serving.

6. Heat butter & olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 4-5 mins each side until the crust is golden brown.

To serve: Spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle on parsley. Add noodles to the plate and cover with sauce. Generously cover the sauce on the noodles with parmesan cheese, and sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese on the chicken. Let stand until the mozzarella cheese on the chicken has melted from the heat of the sauce.

Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Kevin and Amanda.

Sneaky Banana Bread

I'm really struggling with table foods for Jack. He does really well with purees that I make or baby food purees store bought. No problem. But when he has to feed himself steamed vegetable chunks, no thank you. He loves pancakes and blueberry muffins, so when I came across this recipe for banana bread made with cauliflower, I thought I'd give it a try. He loves it! Jack shoves it right in his mouth! He even says Mmmmm!


Ingredients:
3/4 c. wheat flour
1/2 c. flour (I didn't have wheat flour, so I used 1 and 1/4 c flour)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1 1/2 c. banana puree 1/2 c. cauliflower puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Directions:
I used my wonderful baby cooker to steam and puree the cauliflower and puree bananas.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Into a medium bowl sift together wheat flour, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, beat together sugar and oil until well combined. Beat in egg whites, banana puree, cauliflower puree, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients gradually until just combined.

Spray a large loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, until the middle of the top is "set."

Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Recipe courtesy of http://www.gretchencooks.com

Cucumber Sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 Pillsbury French bread cans
1 Cream Cheese block-softened
1 packet of Italian Dressing seasoning
1 large cucumber

Directions:
1. Bake bread at 350* in a bread tube shaped in a star, flower, or heart. Spray tubes ahead so dough doesn't stick. I place them upright on the rack. Bake 70-75 minutes. You can also bake the bread according the can's directions.
2. Remove bread from tin and allow time to cool.
3. Using a serrated knife, cut bread into slices. Usually 15-18 slices per tin.
4. Mix cream cheese and Italian dressing seasoning.
5. Peel cucumber.
6. Spread cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread and top with a cucumber.

Recipe courtesy of Erin Surma

Puppy Chow

Ingredients:
9 cups of rice chex
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Into a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In a 1-quart microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter uncovered on High for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.
3. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
4. Using a large garbage bag, pour the coated cereal and then sprinkle the powdered sugar. Close the bag with your hand and allow for air to fill up bag and shake to coat cereal.
5. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Recipe courtesy Chex Mix

Keilbasa and Gnocci

I'm posting about this dish in honor of my husband. It is one of his favorite meals that his mom used to make him. I actually ate it and enjoyed it. There really isn't a recipe to follow, but it makes for a good, quick, winter week night dish especially if you're not watching your waistline!

Ingredients:
1 package of polska keilbasa
1 package of potato gnocci (found in the pasta aisle)
brown sugar
mustard
butter
garlic powder

Directions:
1. Cook keilbasa according to directions on stove. Meanwhile boil a pot of water to cook for gnocci.
2. Cook gnocci according to directions. It only takes a few minutes once water is boiling.
3. Melt about 1/4 or 1/2 stick of butter. Add a tablespoon of garlic powder and mix into butter.
4. Drain gnocci and toss in garlic butter.
5. Serve kielbasa with brown sugar mustard. I just squeeze some mustard into a little side dish and add some brown sugar and mix together.

Ice Box Cake

This recipe has been in my family for a long time This is the Thanksgiving and Christmas dessert my Grandma Hattie would always make.

Ingredients:
1 box Nilla wafers
1 large box of Jello Cook and Serve Chocolate pudding
1 large box of Jello Cook and Serve Vanilla pudding
1 container of Cool Whip
Sprinkles
whole milk

Directions:
1. Make the puddings according to directions in a sauce pan on the stove. Use a whisk to constantly stir pudding so it doesn't burn. Use whole milk (or 1% but not skim. It will make thin pudding).
2. After each of the puddings have been made, pour each into a bowl and immediately cover with saran wrap and place in fridge. The plastic wrap (I've used both Press and Seal and Saran) will keep the pudding from forming a film on the top. The pudding just needs to cool off enough so that it isn't scalding hot. It should be about a warm temperature when you are putting the cake together. Maybe leave in fridge for 15-20 minutes.
3. Line a 8x8 square dish or pan with a layer of Nilla wafers. Then make a second row of the waffers, filling in the holes and spaces the first layer made. I break some in half on the ends to fill in.
4. Take the vanilla and chocolate puddings out of the fridge and remove plastic wrap. Gently pour or spoon the pudding on the 2 layers of wafers.
5. Place another 2 layers of wafers on top of the vanilla pudding.
6. Gently spoon or pour the chocolate pudding on top of the wafers.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and chill over night.
8. Before serving, frost with the container of Cool Whip. I use most of the container with some left over.
9. I usually sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles. My grandma would crush Jingle cookies on top.
10. Cut into squares and serve. The first piece is usually the messiest. If you have a mini spatula from Pampered Chef, it works great getting the pieces out!!