Peanut Butter Brownie Bomb

Thank you for helping me come up with a name for this dense, fudgey and irresistible brownie!!

This is a brownie recipe from scratch, with a Peanut Butter-Cream cheese THICK topping with goodies thrown in… like you need anything more, but still!

Couple things to note… this is ‘wet’ and rich… not for ‘cake-like’ brownie lovers… AND it’s not for anyone that’s trying to be on a New Year’s Diet… (SORRY!) everything is fine in moderation!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 bag Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
• 1/2 cup creamy Peanut Butter
• 4oz Softened cream cheese
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• Glazed Pecans (Emerald Pecan Pie Glazed Pecan’s)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter. Blend in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Then Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold in PB Chips and spread into the prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Do not overcook.
5. In the meantime, Beat PB, Cream cheese and powdered sugar (it won’t be super smooth, don’t worry)
6. Spread over top brownies when they slightly cool (~10 mins) out of oven. Top with glazed Pecans
7. You will need Milk!! Enjoy!!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Merry Christmas!!!

This was sooo incredibly delicious and flavorful! Definitely would be awesome as a bread dessert as well!

We were especially blessed (and spoiled!) this year with gifts, but the best of all was having our little Bobby with us! My nephew was in great spirits with his smiles, laughs and baby talk

Mom, Dad, Toree, myself and Bobby went on a nice long walk along the shore of the lake. The weather was PERFECT, and the lil one definitely enjoyed the fresh air!

Ingredients:

• 2 slices day-old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 12 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Next Morning Topping:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, and top with cream cheese cubes. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the cream cheese, and top with remaining bread cubes.
2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and syrup. Pour over the bread cubes. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, remove the bread cube mixture from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 25 to 30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, and water. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, cook 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1 cup blueberries. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, until the blueberries burst. Then pour over the baked French toast –> (We did this individually on our plates)

Western Omelet – Slow Cooker

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I helped Mom make 2 dishes for Brunch, both were SO easy and so delicious! We prepared them last night so we could just turn on the crock in the morning, and throw the other one in the oven. We didn’t want anything taking us away from the morning festivities!!

Ingredients:

• 1LB frozen shredded hash browns
• 1LB hot sausage
• 1 onion – chopped
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• salt-n-pep to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium frying pan, cook crumbled sausage and onion. Set aside.
2. Lightly grease a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. Place 1/3 of the hash brown potatoes in a layer on the bottom. Layer 1/3 of the sausage/onion mix then Cheddar cheese. Repeat layers two more times.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the contents of the slow cooker.
4. Cover, and cook on Low for 7 hours.

Note: May have to use a turkey baster to remove the cheese juices/sweat on top before serving.

Chicken Manicotti with Chive Cream Sauce

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve never made homemade manicotti shells until NOW and also PUNCHING myself because it’s sooo darn quick and easy and makes stuffing the shells MUCH easier…

At any rate, I made this for a holiday party and it was a big hit! Very simple to do, so don’t be fooled by the long post.. there were 3 recipes involved!

Homemade Manicotti Shells

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. With a hand mixer, blend eggs, flour, water and salt. It will be very watery so don’t be alarmed!
2. Lightly oil or spray a non-stick frying pan and heat over med-high.
3. Using a dry measuring cup, spoon the batter into the middle of the pan. Quickly and carefully tilt the pan in a circular motion for the batter to form a thin, round ‘crêpe’.
4. Cook 1-2 mins, until the shell surface appears dry, then carefully flip the shell over and cook for an addition 20-30 seconds.
5. Stacked cooked shells on a plate between wax or parchment paper for later use. No need to flour them (this actually makes them stick to the paper)

Chive Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8oz soft cream cheese, chive & onion flavor
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt cream cheese over med-low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add heavy cream, then cheese and stir till thick and smooth.
3. If it’s too ‘cream-cheesy’ tasting, add a little lemon juice.

Manicotti Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 12 oz whole milk ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 1/2LB chicken – cooked and shredded
• 10 oz broccoli – cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 onion – chopped
• 1/2 cup grated romano – for mixture
• 1TB italian seasoning
• salt-n-pep
• 2 cups grated romano or parmesan

Directions:

1. Saute onion in olive oil (or butter) until translucent, make sure it cools down before adding to mixture so it doesn’t cook the eggs!
2. Mix all ingredients well, and prepared a buttered casserole dish for the shells.
3. To assemble, take one of your shells and add a small amount of cheese to the center. Spoon a generous helping of the stuffing to the shell, fold like a burrito and place seam-down, into the baking dish.
4. Repeat. repeat. repeat…
5. Pour sauce over shells, sprinkle with remaining cheese, a few pinches of paprika and bake 350F for 30-40mins.

Grandma’s Chicken Tetrazzini

 

I made this a few weeks ago, and now I’m salivating over the photo (and It doesn’t even do full justice!) This recipe is from my Grandmother on my Mother’s Side, a staple in their home growing up. She makes allllll the broth from scratch with 2-3 whole chickens, cooked in water with tons of veggies… I don’t have that time (or energy for the matter) so I cheated, Sandra-Lee Style, and bought Rotisserie Chickens…
I made this for a large group of friends, and the recipe does make a lot! I also used the chicken drippings as part of the sauce, adds TONS of flavor, but if you’re watching the fat… you might want to omit this

You’re doing a few things at once, so make sure you have some counter space and you keep an eye on everything. Wine helped me… tee hee

 

Ingredients:

• 2LBs pasta (long pasta like linguine, spaghetti etc)
• 2 whole chickens
• ~6 cups chicken broth
• 1LB Mushrooms (I used 2 bc I <3 mushrooms)
• 9TB butter
• +6TB flour
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 9TB Sherry
• Nutmeg (to taste)
• salt-n-pep

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9×13 casserole dish.
2. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter, and chicken juices. When they are ready, take it off the heat and set aside.
3. Heat a large pot of water boiling for the pasta, and cook al dente.
4. In a Medium saucepan, melt down 9TB butter. Stir the flour into the butter to thicken, and wisk in the chicken broth. Cook this until thick so add more flour if needed.
5. Then add in the heavy cream and sherry, add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste, then keep on low heat for 10 mins.
6. Somehow during/throughout this.. pull the chicken off the bone and put in a large bowl, bite-sized chunks. (I tossed the skin)
7. Toss your cooked pasta with the mushrooms, chicken and half the sauce mixture.
8. Pour into a buttered dish, sprinkle with parm and add more sauce if needed.
9. Cook for 45 mins and serve with extra sauce on the side!
10. Bon Appétit!!

Bow Tie Pasta with Creamy Prosciutto Mushroom Sauce and Grilled Chicken

What an AMAZING and unique recipe I received from Ali. It does take some work, especially when you multiply the quantity… I made this dish (with help from an awesome sous-chef!) for 8+ people and leftovers!

You can marinate the chicken in anything, but I decided to use Country Sweet (one of the best things to happen to Rochester…) it’s a perfect blend of sweet, sour and tangy with a nice kick at the end.  You can also use Pancetta, but either way get it from the butcher or deli and have them slice it about 1/4″ thick.

Pairs well with a nice hot and doughy garlic-buttery bread for the extra dippings.

Ingredients:

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 1 LB Bow Tie Pasta
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 3-4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 cup grated Asiago
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chopped prosciutto
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1. Marinate Chicken in Country Sweet (or desired marinade) Grill, sliced into large chunks and set aside.
2. In a Med saucepan, simmer 2 cups heavy cream, 3-4 crushed chicken bouillon cubes, grated Asiago and whisk till smooth. Then add Cream of mushroom soup and let simmer.
3. In a large skillet, melt 3 TBsp butter, add chopped prosciutto, 4 cloves garlic and the sliced mushrooms. Saute over Med heat until mushrooms are nice and tender, then lower heat to simmer.
4. Meanwhile, boil a stockpot of water and cook the pasta al dente.
5. When pasta is done, pour the heavy cream sauce into the prosciutto sauce, don’t drain off anything!;) and stir to mix.
6. To assemble bowl, throw pasta in with chicken chunks on top, then pour desired amount of sauce over.
7. Thanks Ali!!