My Grandma’s Amazing Chocolate Chip Ranger Cookies

What You’ll Need:

• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 c crispy rice cereal (Rice Krispies or similar)
• 1 c quick oatmeal
• 2 c chocolate chips
• 1 cup butter (heat in glass measuring cup in microwave until just melted)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
2. In large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all dry ingredients.
3. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with mixed dry ingredients and combine well.
4. Place dollops of cookie dough, 4 inches apart, on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for about 7 min.**  Place on cooling rack.

**Do not overcook.  These are best a little soft and eaten, still warm, with vanilla ice cream.

Garlic Parmasan Roasted Asparagus

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2-3 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Rinse the asparagus and trim off woody end pieces. Spread out in a thin layer on top of the prepared cookie sheet.
3. Spray the asparagus lightly with a coat of olive oil spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Use your hands to mix the asparagus with all of the ingredients, then lay out into an even layer again. Spray with one more light coat of olive oil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!

** This delicious recipe is provided compliments of BelleOfTheKitchen.com.

Linguini with Clam Sauce

What you’ll need:

• 1 lb linguine pasta
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• juice from 4 cans chopped or minced clams (save the clams)
• juice of 1 to 1.5 lemons
• crushed red pepper, to taste
• clams from 4 cans of clams
• Wondra sauce thickener
• 1/2 c. flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• grated parmesan cheese, at the table to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

What to do:

– In large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil to cook pasta according to directions.
– In large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute; Add wine and bring to simmer; Add clam juice from 4 cans of clams (reserve the clams), and lemon juice & crushed red pepper; Bring to simmer and reduce by about one quarter..
– Add clams and simmer for about 5 minutes; Add Wondra to thicken to a “thin nectar” consistency.
– Toss in parsley.
– Serve over hot pasta with a little extra olive oil and parmesan cheese.

Yields 4 generous servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

What you need:

• 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 Tbsp salt
• enough water to cover the chicken in the pot
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 med onion (chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup whole corn kernels
• 1 cup white hominy
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• “Better Than Bouillon” chicken base
• crushed tortilla chips
• sliced avocado
• shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• sour cream
• chopped green onions
• more fresh cilantro
• hot sauce, if desire more “kick”

What to do:

1. In a large stock pot, bring chicken thighs, salt and water to boil.  Reduce heat to low boil and partially cover total of 1/2 hour.
2. About 10 minutes into chicken cooking, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté onion in oil until soft and add garlic the last couple of minutes.  Add to the pot with cooking chicken.
3. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin and tomatoes. Continue to a boil, until chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove chicken with thongs, and shred with a fork on a cutting board.  Then place shredded chicken back into pot.
5. Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Taste for saltiness.  If more salt flavor is needed, add a touch of “Better Than Bouillon” Simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream, green onion, more fresh cilantro and hot sauce, if desired.

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

What you need:

• Buffalo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce (example, “Franks”)
• Ginger-soy glaze
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 2×1″ piece of ginger, peeled, sliced
• Wings
  • 5 pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

• For buffalo sauce
  • Mix first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; let let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk in hot sauce; keep warm.
  • DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool completely; cover and chill. Rewarm before using.
• For ginger-soy glaze:
  • Bring all ingredients and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/4 cup, 7–8 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes to thicken slightly.
  • DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before using.
• For wings:
  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Set a wire rack inside each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Place all ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat. Divide wings between prepared racks and spread out in a single layer.
  • Bake wings until cooked through and skin is crispy, 45–50 minutes.
  • Line another rimmed baking sheet with foil; top with a wire rack. Add half of wings to ginger-soy glaze and toss to evenly coat. Place wings in a single layer on prepared rack and bake until glaze is glossy and lightly caramelized, 8–10 minutes.
  • Toss remaining half of wings in Buffalo sauce. Serve immediately (no need to bake).

** This fabulous recipe was provided by EPICURIOUS.COM.

Chorizo and Manchego Cheese Puffs

What You’ll Need:

• medium sauce pan, wooden spoon, rubber spatula, mini muffin tin (preferable), oven
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp, cut into small pieces
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 and 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, room temp (crack in bowl prior to beginning preparation and let sit)
• 1 c Manchego cheese
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 10 oz uncooked Chorizo, casing removed & finely chopped
• crème fraîche or sour cream (I prefer the crème fraîche)
• chives, finely cut

What to do:

• Pre-heat oven to 45o F.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water and salt.  Bring to a boil stirring often, just until there are small bubbles on the edges.
• Immediately pour in the flour all at once and stir it quickly with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth.
• Put the mixture back on the stove at low heat and continue stirring until there are no lumps and there is a slight “toasting” smell.
• Remove pan from heat and add eggs, ONE AT A TIME, working the dough as little as possible.
• Add cheese, red pepper and chorizo with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon small rounds of the dough mixture into the bottom of the muffin tins.  Be sure to wipe away excess drips on the pan and edges of the muffin holders.
• Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, about 15-20 min.  Cool on wire cooling racks.  Makes about 45-50 puffs.
• Provide crème fraîche or sour cream and chives to garnish with each bite.

** This fabulous recipe was provided by NOTHING TO IT COOKING SCHOOL in Reno, NV.  Visit NothingToIt.com for a class schedule, newsletter, and a glance at their deli menu!

IRRESISTIBLE EASY BAKED APPLE CUSTARD

What you need:

• coconut oil for greasing pans
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1¼ cups whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large apples, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

What to do:

TURKEY POT PIE

(Yields 2 pies… 6 servings each)

You’ll Need:

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups cubed cooked turkey
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, divided
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Your favorite pie pastry OR  our Perfect Buttery Pie Crust (DOUBLE this recipe)
• 1 large egg

What To Do:

• Preheat oven to 375°.  In a Dutch oven, saute potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in butter and oil until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in turkey, peas, 1/2 cup cream, parsley, garlic salt and pepper.
• Spoon into two un-greased 9-in. pie plates.  Roll out pastry to fit top of each pie; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges.  Cut out a decorative center or cut slits in pastry.  In a small bowl, whisk egg and remaining cream;  brush over pastry.
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
  

Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked potpies up to 3 months.  To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw).  Preheat oven to 425°.  Place pie on a baking sheet;  cover edge loosely with foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Reduce oven setting to 350°;  remove foil.  Bake 55-60 minutes longer or until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

This delicious post-Thanksgiving recipe is courtesy of TasteOfHome.com.

Carol’s Chocolate Fudge & Cream Cheese Brownies

What You’ll Need:

For the Brownies:

• One package Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
• 1/3 c water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs

For the Cream Cheese Mixture:

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 5 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/3 c granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

What To Do:

• Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter
• Add the sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla; beat until smooth and set aside
• Prepare one package brownie mix, using cake-like recipe
• Spread half of the brownie batter into a greased 9”x13” pan
• Pour all of the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter.
• Spoon the remaining brownie batter in spots over the top.
• Swirl the two mixtures together with a knife or spatula.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 36-39 minutes
• YUM!