Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate Chips

Adapted Slightly From Wilton

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, beat peanut butter and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy; add sugars and continue beating until creamy. Gradually beat in vegetable oil and vanilla; add egg. Add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet, spacing 1-1/2 in. apart.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; transfer to a cooling grid and cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen.

Lemony Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Adapted Slightly from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Cake Batter Fudge

Adapted Slightly from Make Bake Celebrate

Ingredients:
2 cups white or yellow cake mix
2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter cut into four pieces
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
1. Line a 8×8 baking dish with foil, very lightly grease foil.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl mix together cake mix and powdered sugar until completely blended. Add in milk and butter.
3. Microwave for 2 minutes. You butter should be almost completely melted, if not stick it in for a bit more.
4. Stir together until blended, it will be a thick consistency. Then fold in your white chocolate chips. The hot batter will melt them as you stir. Be sure to keep stirring and folding until you can’t see any more chocolate chips.
5. Press the fudge batter in the foiled lined dish, smooth out with spatula.
6. Add sprinkles on top.
7. Let chill for up 30-60 minutes. Then lift foil out pull back, add icing and sprinkles if doing so, and cut into 1 inch squares.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted Slightly from the Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:
2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni or other pasta
3 tablespoons butter – divided plus extra for greasing pan
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole or skim milk
1/2 onion, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar or Colby cheese, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions:
Bring 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to rolling boil in medium saucepan. Add macaroni and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and put in large bowl.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir in onion, bay leaf and paprika. Simmer gently, stirring often, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.

Stir in macaroni. Pour half of mixture into greased, deep 1 1/2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with half of remaining cheese. Top with remaining macaroni and remaining cheese.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and toss to coat. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over top of macaroni.

Bake at 350F. until bread crumbs are lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Sour Cream Pancakes

Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
Pure maple syrup

Directions:
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Pasta Salad with Green Beans, Pistachios, and Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked gemelli or other short twisted tube pasta
1 cup (1 1/2-inch) cut haricots verts (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped shelled pistachios
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind, divided
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Preparation:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add haricots verts during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse pasta mixture under cold water; drain well.
2. Place the pasta mixture, pistachios, 1 tablespoon thyme, and 1 tablespoon lemon rind in a large bowl; toss gently to combine.
3. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon thyme, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon rind, shallots, juice of a lemon, Champagne or white wine vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add olive oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add salt and black pepper; stir with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture, and toss gently to coat. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Tomato & Feta Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
4 pints grape tomatoes, red or mixed colors
1 1/2 cups small-diced red onion (2 onions)
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup good white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 pounds feta cheese

Directions:
Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, cucumber, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold it into the salad and serve at room temperature.

Lemon Rice

Adapted from Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter (preferred) or extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 cups cooked rice, made by any method
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Juice of 2 lemons, plus more if needed

Directions:
1. Heat half the butter or oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick skillet; when the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, spoon in the cooked rice, tossing and stirring.

2. Season with salt to taste, lots of pepper, the garlic, and most of the lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until hot. Stir in the remaining butter or oil and cook for 1 minutes.

3. Remove the rice from the pan to a platter, add the remaining lemon juice and serve. Serves 4.

Captain Morgan’s Banana Bread

Adapted from Stephanie Ward

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3-4 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup Captain Morgan’s rum
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts

Directions:
Combine bananas and rum.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar; add eggs.
Sift together dry ingredients.
Gradually beat banana and flour mixtures into butter, alternating.
Add nuts or chocolate chips.
Bake for 1 hour at 350º.