Seven-Layer Bars

Seven-Layer Bars aka Magic Bars or Hello Dolly Bars are one of my all-time favorite desserts. Ever since a friend made them for me in high school, I have fallen in love with them. I love the graham cracker crust, the mix of coconut, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, topped off with the sweetened condensed milk. This time I was short of butterscotch chips, so I added white chocolate chips and some milk chocolate pieces. These always turn out amazing, are impossible to mess up. This recipe came from “The Gathering of Friends” cookbook by Michelle Huxtable and Alyse Christensen. Enjoy!

Melt the butter in a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the butter and press into pan.

Layer chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over crumbs.

Sprinkle coconut and nuts over chips.

Pour milk over the mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Cool and cut into squares.

Seven-Layer Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 (6 oz) package butterscotch chips
1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips
1 (7 oz) package shredded coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in 9 x 13 inch pan.
3. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter and press into pan.
4. Layer butterscotch chips and chocolate chips over the crumbs.
5. Sprinkle coconut and nuts over chips.
6. Pour milk over mixture.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo is one of my favorite meals because it is healthy and very simple to make. My mom discovered this recipe after I had moved out of the house and was in college, but now I’ve learned to make it on my own and it tastes just as good!

For those of you who like history…here is the story behind Chicken Marengo. Chicken Marengo takes its name after the Battle of Marengo in 1800 when Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Austrians. According to tradition, Napoleon demand a quick meal after the battle and his chef was forced to work with a meager amount of ingredients: a chicken, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, and crayfish. The chef cut up the chicken, fried it in oil, and made a sauce with rest of the ingredients. Napoleon liked the dish and considered it lucky since he won the battle. Modern versions of Chicken Marengo include flouring then browning the chicken in olive oil, making the tomato sauce, and omitting the crayfish. I serve this dish over penne pasta.

Enjoy!

Flour, then brown chicken in large dutch with olive oil and butter over medium heat until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and cook onions and mushrooms in olive oil and butter until browned. Put chicken back in and add chicken broth, chopped tomatoes, black olives, and garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes.

Serve over penne pasta.

Chicken Marengo
Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped in bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup flour
1-2 tsp tarragon
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced in large rings
Mushroom slices (I use fresh mushrooms)
1 cup chicken broth
20 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 can sliced black olives
1-2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Cut chicken in bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix 1/2 cup of flour, chicken pieces, tarragon, salt and pepper in a plastic bag to coat.
3. Brown chicken with 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
4. When chicken is done, remove from pan.
5. Add sliced onions and mushrooms to the pan and saute until browned, in 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Put chicken back in pan. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, a 20 oz can of chopped tomatoes, 1 can of sliced black olives, and 1-2 cloves of garlic.
6. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes.
7. Serve over penne pasta.

Serves 4-6

Shrimp Scampi au Gratin

The first time I tried shrimp scampi was when my high school/college friend had me and a few other girls over for dinner one night. This was the group of friends that I would cook my “dinner parties” for during college. Well, the shrimp scampi was amazing, so I requested the recipe and have been making it ever since. My mom and sister love making this dish as well. It is extremely easy, fancy looking, and good. Enjoy!

Place shrimp in baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Melt butter. Combine with bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, oregano, and black pepper.

Spoon mixture over shrimp.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Serve over angel hair pasta.

Shrimp Scampi au Gratin
Ingredients
1 pound medium-sized fresh shrimp
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp crushed oregano
Cracked black pepper
Optional: lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Clean and devein shrimp. Place in 13 by 9 inch baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.
3. Combine butter, crumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, oregano, and black pepper; spoon mixture over shrimp.
4. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley, if desired.

Serves 4

Blueberry Muffins with Doughnut Topping

These make my top 10 list for blueberry muffins. They can be put together quickly, baked in a short amount of time, and can be enjoyed on the go. The best part, though, is the cinnamon sugar topping. It leads you to wonder are these muffins or doughnuts? We got this recipe from Flo Braker’s “Baking For All Occasions” cookbook.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Stir in the wet ingredients and use a spatula to fold in the blueberries.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 18 to 23 minutes at 375 degrees or until golden brown.

To make the topping, dip warm muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Muffins with Doughnut Topping
Ingredients
Muffins
2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup cold well-shaken buttermilk
3 oz (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and tepid
2 large eggs
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blueberries, picked over for stems

Doughnut Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 oz (3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Directions
To make the muffins:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick spray, then flour the cups, tapping out the excess flour. Or butter and flour the cups or line with fluted paper or foil liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, butter, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla until combined.
4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula just until moistened. Don’t beat until smooth, or the muffins will have a course texture.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the blueberries just enough to incorporated them into the batter.
6. Fill the muffin cups three-fourths full.
7. Bake the muffins until they are golden, spring back when gently pressed in the center, and are starting to pull away from the muffin cups, 18 to 23 minutes. Cool in pan until they can be handled, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the Doughnut Topping:
1. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
2. While the muffins are still warm, gently remove them from the pan one at a time, dip the tops in melted butter, roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat, and then place on a wire rack.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store at room temperature under a cake dome for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 10 days in a sturdy covered container. Thaw at room temperature 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Yield 1 dozen muffins

Nutty Chocolate Chunk Cookies (David Lebovitz)

My mom loves trying new recipes for chocolate chip cookies. This is probably her 20th chocolate chip cookie recipe to try. They come from David Lebovitz’s newest cookbook, “Ready for Dessert”. When making these, my mom used a food scale and actually measured out the flour, sugar, and nuts in grams rather than in cups. Weighing ingredients on a scale is actually a more accurate way to measure.

If you like nuts, you will love these cookies! We toasted macadamia nuts, walnuts, and pecans, and added Nestle chocolate chunks. Enjoy!

Whisk together dry ingredients, then add to butter, sugars, vanilla, and egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks and nuts.

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into quarters.

Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches long. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 24 hours.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through at 350 degrees.

Nutty Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (350 g) flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup (8 oz/225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (215 g) packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (225 g) nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
14 oz (400g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/2 to 1 inch chunks or 3 cups (340 g) chocolate chunks (Regular chocolate chips are designed to resist melting, so I use chocolate chunks instead so they will melt and create a gooey cookie).

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until just smooth.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and chocolate chunks.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into quarters. Shape each quarter into a log about 9 inches long. Wrap he logs in plastic and refrigerated until firm, preferably 24 hours.
5. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
7. Slice the logs into disks 3/4 inch thick and place the disks 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes. If you like soft chocolate chip cookies, as I do, err on the side of underbaking.
9. Let cookies cool on baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack.

Yield 48 cookies

Dutch Baby (German Pancake)

Last weekend I planned on going to the Original Pancake House with my husband and friends for brunch. Since I’ve never been, I looked their menu up online to plan out what I was going to order. I discovered a dish called the “Dutch Baby”, something I have never heard of. I did some research and a Dutch Baby is a German Pancake made with eggs, flour, milk, and seasoned with cinnamon and vanilla. It reminds me of a cross between a popover, french toast, and a pancake. It puffs up really big and falls soon after being removed from the oven. It is sprinkled with lemon juice and powdered sugar. I even added a little maple syrup, bananas, and blueberries.

I absolutely love this recipe and plan on making it again. It looks so fancy, but is extremely easy to make… actually easier than pancakes because you bake it in the oven. This recipe comes from Gourmet Magazine, April 2009. You need to try this! Enjoy!

Beat the eggs on high until pale and frothy.

Then beat in flour, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Melt butter in the hot skillet, swirling to coat.

Add the batter and immediately return skillet to oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until puffed and golden-browned.

Serve immediately, topped with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Dutch Baby
Ingredients
3 large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup whole milk at room temperature (I used skim)
2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions
1. Put skillet on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and frothy.
3. Then beat in milk, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute more (batter will be thin).
4. Add butter to hot skillet and melt, swirling to coat.
5. Add batter and immediately return skillet to oven.
6. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 15-18 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with lemon juice and powdered sugar. Serve immediately

Serves 3-4

King Ranch Chicken

This recipe for King Ranch Chicken is my favorite. It is spicy, flavorful, creamy and just the way I like it. It is extremely easy to make, and is fun to assemble. This recipe is from the Homesick Texan blog. Enjoy!

First, cook the chicken over medium heat until chicken is done, about 20 minutes. Season with ancho chili powder and lime juice.

Saute bell peppers and onions on medium heat for about 7 minutes.

When chicken is done, shred it using two forks.

Combine soups, broth, Rotel, chile powder and mix until smooth.

Pour sauce into bottom of baking dish. Layer with tortillas, chicken, onion, bell peppers, and cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees until brown and bubbling.

King Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
1 1/2 chicken breasts
10 corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of chicken broth
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 tsp chile powder
2 tsp ancho chile powder
2 tsp lime juice
olive oil

Directions
1. Cook chicken in olive oil over medium heat, adding lime juice and ancho chili powder.
2. When chicken is done (after about 20 minutes), shred it with 2 forks, and set aside. It should yield about 3 cups.
3. Saute bell peppers and onions for 7 minutes on medium heat.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Combine the soups, broth, Ro-Tel tomatoes, and chili powder; blend until smooth.
6. Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of an oven-proof casserole dish.
7. Add layers of tortillas, chicken, onions, bell peppers, and cheese, and sauce.
8. Repeat layers, ending with sauce. Sprinkle more cheese on top if desired.
9. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling.

Serves 6-8

Chewy Brownies

My mom is always trying new recipes for brownies, and when she made this one, it instantly became my favorite. The brownies are gooey; chocolatey; sweet, but not too sweet; and chewy, but not to chewy. This weekend I decided to make these for my friend who is staying with me from Houston. Of course my husband had to sneak a few before my friend arrived! haha ☺

Chewy Brownies

Serves: 24

Adapted from Cooks Magazine

Ingredients

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/2 tsp instant espresso
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp boiling water
2 oz unsweetend chocolate, finely chopped
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 9 x 13-inch pan with foil, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray
Whisk cocoa, expresso powder, and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth.
Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted.
Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogenous.
Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated.
Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1 1/2 hours.
Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Parmesan Puffs

~~Despite not having a photo~~, I wanted to share with you a recipe for Parmesan Puffs. A puff is has a layer of bread soaked in egg mixture in the middle with the surrounding layers rolled in melted butter and parmesan cheese. My mom and I absolutely LOVE these, but the rest of our family won’t eat them…my dad hates all cheese, my sister is extremely health conscious, and my husband is not a big bread eater. Whether you make these or not is completely up to you…I strongly recommend it. They freeze well and when I want one, I just pop it into the oven for 20 minutes.

Parmesan Puffs

Serves: 9

Ingredients

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
9 slices firm white bread, crusts removed (I like Pepperidge Farm)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Beat egg and milk together in a small dish. Soak 3 slices of bread in milk mixture, then place each between 2 slices of fresh bread. (This creates 3 “sandwiches” with the soaked bread in the center of each).
Press gently on the top of each sandwich to be sure slices stick together.
Cut each sandwich into 3-4 pieces.
Roll each piece in melted butter, then in parmesan.
Place on cookie sheet and chill at least 4 hours. (Can be frozen at this point. Leave on cookie sheet until frozen, then store in plastic bags).
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until very lightly browned. Roll the puffs every 5 minutes so they brown more evenly. Add 5 minutes if frozen.

My Neighbor’s Cadillac Mac and Cheese

My neighbor is just as much of a cook as I am, so when he found out I had blog and loved to cook, he recommended his signature macaroni and cheese dish. The recipe comes from “Bake it Like a Man: A Real Man’s Cookbook”. The only thing I didn’t do in this recipe is use bacon fat (instead of butter), which my neighbor says is amazing….maybe next time! If you want a creamy, cheesy, and all-around best homemade mac and cheese recipe, you need to try this one. It is the best one I’ve ever eaten!

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan.

Add flour, milk, and cream, and stir until thickened and beginning to bubble.

Stir in the salt, pepper, dry mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, Worcestershire, and cheese. Keep stirring until melted.

Add pasta to sauce and stir until combined.

Stir together melted butter, parmesan, and breadcrumbs.

Pour macaroni into greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cadillac Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 cup light cream (half and half)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper or Tabasco
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 1/2 to 3 quart casserole dish
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside in the cooking pan.
3. While the macaroni is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, making sure butter does not brown.
4. Add the flour and using a wire whisk, stir the flour and butter while pouring in the milk, a little at a time. Keep stirring with a whisk until there are no lumps.
5. Keeping heat low, whisk in the cream. Increasing the heat slightly, keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Stir in the salt, black pepper, dry mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, and Worcestershire. Stir in the Cheddar cheese all at once and keep stirring until melted.
7. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni in its large saucepan. Stir to mix well, then pour into the greased baking dish.
8. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and toss well. Sprinkle over the top of the baking dish.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top should be lightly browned, the macaroni beneath bubbling.

Serves 4-6