Orange Herb Roasted Chicken

Recipe from: AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Orange-Herb-Roasted-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=35141455&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-04-11&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1

Ingredients
1 cup chicken broth
1 (4 pound) whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1 tablespoon sized pieces
2 navel oranges, halved
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh sage

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the chicken broth into a small roasting pan, and set aside.

Loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs of the chicken. Stuff the butter pieces evenly underneath the skin of the chicken, and place into the roasting pan. Squeeze the orange halves over the chicken, and stuff the orange halves into the chicken cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then rub in the minced garlic. Drizzle the melted butter all over the chicken, then lay the herb sprigs onto the breast and around the legs.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and baste the chicken with the pan juices. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 1 to 2 hours. Baste the chicken every 10 to 15 minutes after you uncover it. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before slicing.

Southwestern Chicken Lasagna

Recipe from: AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=8881&origin=detail&servings=6

Spaghetti sauce in the mix gives a nod to the Italian origins of this layered casserole, in which chicken in a spicy tomato sauce alternates with tortillas and cheese."

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped, cooked
chicken breast meat
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions
1 teaspoon fresh chopped
jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup fresh salsa
16 ounces shredded
mozzarella cheese
16 ounces shredded Cheddar
cheese
15 (6 inch) corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large skillet, brown shredded chicken in butter or margarine. Add onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, basil and oregano. Then add the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and salsa/picante sauce. Stir all together. Cover skillet and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.

3. In a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish, place a layer of tortillas, then a layer of the chicken/sauce mixture, then a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice, then top casserole with Cheddar cheese and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, until cheese is bubbly.

Tres Leches Milk Cake

Recipe from AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=7399&origin=detail&servings=24

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups whole milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed
milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. Cream butter or margarine and the 1 cup sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat well.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture 2 tablespoons at a time; mix until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Pierce cake several times with a fork.
6. Combine the whole milk, condensed milk, and evaporated milk together. Pour over the top of the cooled cake.
7. Whip whipping cream, the remaining 1 cup of the sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla together until thick. Spread over the top of cake. Be sure and keep cake refrigerated, enjoy

Cheddar Chive Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in potato flakes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Whip with a fork until smooth; cool slightly. Beat in egg, oil and cheese. Combine remaining ingredients; stir into potato mixture just until moistened (batter will be thick). Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Scalloped Potatoes

Recipe from: Simply Recipes
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/scalloped_potatoes/

Ingredients

3 Tbsp butter
2 lbs (about 4 medium sized) Russet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 large yellow or white onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
2 thick slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
2 1/2 cups grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of half-and-half (half milk, half cream)
Salt and pepper

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large casserole dish with 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter. If you use a casserole dish that is about 9x13 (bigger than the one shown) you'll have more surface area, more of the potatoes will brown, and the cooking time will be faster.

2 Layer the bottom of the casserole dish with 1/3 of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer on 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese. Layer on 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 of the parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.

Repeat by layering on 1/3 of the potato slices, sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Layer on the remaining sliced onions, 1/2 cup of the Swiss cheese, the remaining bacon, parsley and chives. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan.

Top the casserole with the remaining potato slices. Add the half and half. Dot the potatoes with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp of butter.

3 Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for one hour. After an hour, remove from the oven, remove the foil, sprinkle on the remaining Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for an additional 30-40 minutes. When done, the potatoes should be tender, but not mushy, and the liquid should be mostly absorbed.

Grandma’s English Muffin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select the dough cycle.

Divide dough into two unequal parts, and shape into loaves. Place in one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and one 7 x 3 inch loaf pan; non-stick pans are preferable, but greased and floured normal pans will suffice. Cover, and allow to raise until doubled in size.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for about 15 minutes. Grandma bakes hers longer for a more browned and chewier crust

Banana Pound Cake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Grease and flour a fluted tube pan.

Beat 1 cup of butter, shortening, 2 cups of brown sugar, and 1 cup of white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the bananas, followed by the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the pecans; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Heat 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugars have dissolved, then gently simmer for 1 minute. Pour over baked cake while still in the pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Almond-Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients
Makes 8

1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg white
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup whole almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of coarse salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment. Whisk together sugar and egg white in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Form dough into eight 2-tablespoon mounds, and drop each onto sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake macaroons until golden-brown on bottoms and edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool. Macaroons will keep, covered, for up to 1 week.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Recipe from: MarthaStewart.com

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/perfectly-outrageous-chocolate-cookies?xsc=eml_cod_2010_04_13

Ingredients:
Makes 2 dozen

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Coconut Balls

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/coconut-balls?xsc=eml_cod_2010_03_19

Ingredients:

Makes 36

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt until they're just combined. Stir in coconut.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; let cool completely.

Banana Whoopie Pies

Recipe from:  MarthaStewart.com

Ingredients

Makes about 3 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)

1/2 cup sour cream

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.

Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.)

Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately

Almond Crescent Cookies

Recipe from: MarthaStewart.com
http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/almond-crescent-cookies?xsc=eml_cod_2010_03_13

Ingredients
Makes 3 dozen

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds, finely ground
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Vanilla sugar, for rolling

Directions

Beat all ingredients until combined, about 2 minutes. Let rest at room temperature for 2 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat. Bake until light golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on trays for 10 minutes. Roll in vanilla sugar. Note: To make vanilla sugar, split two vanilla beans and place in an airtight container with 2 cups sugar. Let stand overnight and up to 3 months.