Gooseberry Patch Soft Brown Sugar Cookies

Soft Brown Sugar Cookies-these will MELT in your mouth!

Ingredients:

2/3 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sour cream

Directions:

Blend together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time; blend well. Add vanilla; beat until light. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool. Frost with Browned Butter Frosting. Makes 2 dozen

Browned Butter Frosting

1/4 c. butter

1-1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T. Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden. Watch carefully as this will happen quickly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.

Chicken Kebabs and Nectarine Salsa

Outstanding

• YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 2 skewers and 3/4 cup salsa)
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 24 (2-inch) pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into 32 (2-inch) pieces
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups diced nectarine (about 3)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

Preparation

• 1. Preheat broiler. Combine first 9 ingredients in a shallow dish; let stand 15 minutes.
• 2. Thread 4 onion pieces and 3 chicken pieces alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally.
• 3. Combine nectarines and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado.

Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Brownies

Total Time:

2 hr 25 min

Prep

30 min

Inactive

1 hr 15 min

Cook

40 min

Yield:

12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

Decadent Brownies:

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus more, softened, for pan
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 
  

Peanut Butter Buttercream Layer:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use old-fashioned or natural)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups salted cocktail peanuts
• 
  

Ganache:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

For your brownie batter: Melt your butter in a medium (or large) heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

While the butter is melting, whisk the cocoa powder, sea salt and sugar in a separate bowl. (The sugar and salt will work as abrasive agents to get any lumps out of the cocoa.) Whisk the cocoa/sugar/salt combo into the melted butter until the sugar has dissolved fully. The mixture should look like fudge and pull away from the bowl into a ball. Take off the stove and set the pan on a dishtowel on your counter. Allow the fudgy mixture to cool down until it's warm, but not hot anymore.

While that is cooling, line the bottom and sides of your 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil. You want to leave about 4 inches of overhang on the 2 opposite sides. These serve as your handles to remove the brownies from the pan in 1 piece, so make sure that there is enough of the overhang for you to have a solid grip. Grease the parchment or foil well.

Stir in the vanilla into the cooled fudge mixture to loosen it up. Add the eggs into the mixture 1 at a time, adding the second egg after the first egg is fully incorporated. The batter should look shiny and well blended. Add in your flour and stir it until it's fully incorporated. Once it looks fully blended, beat the batter vigorously for at least 45 strokes. This'll not only get out any pent up stress, but it will make the brownies chewy. Fold in your chocolate chips. Spread the very thick and fudgy brownie batter evenly in the lined pan with an offset spatula or your greased hands.

Pop the brownies in the oven and bake until they get a nice crust and your house smells like brownies, 30 to 35 minutes. Let them cool completely on a rack or a dishtowel on your counter.

While the brownies are cooling make the buttercream and ganache.

For the buttercream: Mix your peanut butter and butter together in a stand mixer until they are totally blended. Turn your mixer down and slowly add your powdered sugar and fine sea salt. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn your mixer back to medium, add your milk and vanilla and keep mixing until it's fully blended. Dollop the peanut butter buttercream in heaping spoonfuls on top of the cooled brownies. Evenly spread it with the back of a butter knife the over the surface. Scatter the peanuts evenly over the buttercream, pressing into the buttercream so that the ganache has something to hold on to and the peanuts are all covered.

For the ganache: Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Allow the ganache to cool down slightly for 10 minutes or so, then pour it evenly over the peanut butter buttercream layer. Smooth the ganache out with the back of a butter knife, making sure to cover the buttercream and peanuts completely. Chill the brownies in the refrigerator until the toppings are set, 1 1/2 hours or so.

Remove these delicious guys from the refrigerator. Lift up the ends of the foil liner and place the Fudgy Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies on a cutting board. Cut into squares.

Baked Ziti with Summer Veggies

I made this tonight for dinner .... delicious!!! (From Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked ziti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow squash
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400°.
• 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
• 4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

from "The Cake Doctor"

Cake:

Vegetable spray for misting the pan

Flour for dusting the pan

1 package (18.25 oz) plain devils' food cake mix

1 package (5.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix

3/4 cup Kahlua

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 cup Kahlua

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 12-cup bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, Kahlua, water, oil and eggs in large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly prsesed with your finger and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-47 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cook for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it on a serving platter.

4. Prepare the glaze. Place the confectioners' sugar and Kahlua in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon the glaze over the top of the warm cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides and into the center of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.

*Store this cake, covered in plastic wrap or under a cake dome, at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight on the counter before serving.

Treasure Chest Bars

Cream together: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup margarine or butter,
softened in large bowl.
Add two eggs, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix and set aside.
Mix 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt.
Add this to creamed mixture alternately with 3/4 cup milk.
Mix well then add: 1 cup quartered maraschino cherries,
1 cup chopped nuts (optional), 1 cup choc chips.
Pour/spread in greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for 25 - 30 min.
Frost while warm:
Frosting: 1/4 cup margarine, melted golden brown,
2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp milk, small amt of
maraschino cherry "juice" for color.
Cool and cut.

Steak Salad

Mom passed this recipe to me this past week ... we made it for friends who came to eat with us, DELICIOUS! Andy even loved it, I have now found how to get him to eat salad ;), put steak on it! hehe! Hey Julie may even eat this salad!!!!! Kidding Jules....

Steak: 1 3/4 lbs beef sirloin steak (Preheat grill for high heat. Lightly oil grate. Place steak on grill and cook 3 to 5 min per side or until desired doneness. Remove from heat and let sit until cool enough to handle. Slice steak into bite size pieces.)

As I told you, I make this salad when I have leftover grilled steak to use up.

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (I use Feta cheese)
8 cups romaine lettuce pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 carrot, sliced (I don't put the carrot in...)
1/2 cup sliced red onion (white is okay too...just slice it THIN)
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives (I don't put in as I don't like olives...:)

In a small bowl, wisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and W sauce. Mix in the cheese. Cover and place in refrig.

Arrange lettuce, tomato, pepper, onion on plates. Top with steak and drizzle with dressing. (Suggestion to serve with crusty french bread).

If you don't have time to make a home made dressing, Ken's Steak House Northern Italian Dressing is really good too. Just sprinkle the Feta on the salad if you are using the premade dressing.

Garlic and Soy Grilled Pork Chops (South Beach)

Garlic and Soy Grilled Pork Chops (South Beach)

4 boneless center-cut pork chops
1 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Sprinkle the pork chops all over with soy sauce, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 min. or up to 2 hours.

Coat a grill rack or broiler pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill or broiler

Cook 10-12 min. until juices run clear.

Steak and Mushroom Kebabs (South Beach)

Steak and Mushroom Kebabs (South Beach)

1/2 c. dry red wine
1/4 c. cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. Ketchup (it calls for South Beach Ketchup, but I just use normal)
1 Tbs Vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 lbs. sirloin steak cut into 2" pieces
2 c. large mushrooms

In large bowl, combine the wine, oil, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, marjoram, and oregano. Add the steak and the mushrooms and stir to coat. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate overnight.

Coat a grill rack or broiler pan rack with cooking spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.

Drain and discard the marinade. Thread the meat and the mushrooms onto 4 skewers. Grill or broil for about 7 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink