Layer Cookies (Magic Layer Bars)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup graham cracker, crushed to crumbs
1 cup flaked coconut
6 ounces chocolate chips (1 cup)
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free works fine)
1 cup nuts

 

Directions:

1. Place melted butter in a 9 x 13 baking pan. Spread graham cracker crumbs over top. (I actually prefer to melt my butter in the microwave, mix in the graham cracker crumbs and then pat into the pan. It makes a more even bottom crust, I think.).
2. Layer the coconut and chips in order given. Pour sweetened condensed milk over all. Top with nuts. DO NOT mix together.
3. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. (Please check earlier if your oven runs hot!).

                                                          Source : food.com

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French-Canadian Pea Soup (Soupe aux pois)

Ingredients

1 lb whole dried yellow peas
8 cups water
1/2 lb salt pork (or a ham bone)
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped finely
1/4 cup carrot, grated or chopped finely
1 teaspoon dried savory

 

Directions:

1. Wash and sort peas; place in a large pot, bring to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour.
3. Add salt pork, onion, celery, carrots, savory and 1 tsp salt.
4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until peas are very tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if needed.
5. Remove salt pork; chop and return to soup.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
                                                     Source : food.com

 

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1-2-3-4 Cake With Caramel Icing

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Icing

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease three 9-inch-round cake pans.
3. Line bottoms with waxed paper. Grease paper, and flour insides of pans.
4. Combine flour and baking powder in bowl.
5. Beat butter and sugar in another bowl at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, beating until smooth.
6. At low speed, alternately beat in four mixture and milk.
7. Beat in vanilla.
8. Scrape into prepared pans, dividing evenly.
9. Bake in 350-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
10. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks.
11. Meanwhile, prepare icing. *NOTE: The recipe states that "although the amount of icing seems small, it is enough to frost the cake. If you wish, the recipe may be doubled." I've found this to be true, but I recommend that you either double it or make a batch & a half, which is what I do.
12. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and milk Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.
13. Remove from heat. Cool.
14. Beat confectioners' sugar into milk mixture until smooth.
15. Frost and stack cake layers on cake plate, spreading 1/3 cup icing between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining icing.

                                                                  Source : food.com

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Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups butter or 1 1/4 cups margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peanut butter chips (12 oz. pkg.) or 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz. pkg.)

 

 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. In large mixer bowl; cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in peanut butter or chocolate chips.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.).
6. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack. Cool completely.

                                                       Source : food.com

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Vanilla-Banana-Caramel Flans

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
2 small very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
5 large eggs
6 walnut halves, toasted 

 

 

Preparation

1. Place 1 cup sugar in an 11" skillet over medium heat. Shake skillet to evenly distribute sugar over bottom of skillet. When sugar begins to melt (clear liquid will form around edges), shake pan as needed to keep sugar evenly covering the bottom of the skillet. When sugar in center of pan begins to turn golden (this will take about 6 minutes), stir with a wooden spoon just often enough to maintain an even color, shaking pan and allowing sugar to continue to melt between stirrings. When sugar is completely melted and amber in color, quickly spoon about 1 Tbsp. syrup into each of 6 (6-oz.) custard cups, tilting to coat bottoms evenly. Set cups in a 13" x 9" pan.
2. Mash bananas slightly with a fork to measure 3/4 cup. Place banana in blender; add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla bean paste, and half-and-half. Process 5 seconds or just until smooth. Add eggs; process 5 seconds or just until thoroughly blended, but not foamy. Be sure not to overprocess the eggs. Pour custard evenly into prepared cups. Add hot water to pan to depth of 1".
3. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 40 minutes or until custards are set and a knife inserted near center comes out clean.
4. Remove cups from water bath, and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Run a paring knife around edge of each cup to loosen custards, and invert onto a serving platter, letting melted caramel drizzle down sides of custards. Top each dessert with a walnut half.
5. Tip: It's easiest if you place the pan containing filled custard cups on oven rack before adding hot water. Wear rubber gloves to easily remove cups from water after baking.

                                    

                                              Source : myrecipes.com

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Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato puree
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
                                    Source : food.com

 

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Herb and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach
Lemon wedges (optional)

 

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket; close opening with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add chicken to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on 1 side or until browned. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet (browned side up); broil for 8 minutes or until done.
4. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, red pepper, and spinach; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

                          

                                                                 Source : myrecipes.com

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