Jack Daniels Glaze

     Back when I lived in Pittsburgh I loved going to TGI Friday's and getting their Jack Daniel's chicken.  The sauce was sweet, a little tart, and rich with flavor.  My cousin would always get the Jack Daniel's sesame chicken strips.  Between the two of us we could have easily eaten a jar of Jack Daniel's glaze.  I don't know what they put in it, but it's amazing.

     A few months back I saw a copycat recipe for the glaze and was stoked.  I didn't make it right away because I could never remember to buy pineapple juice at the store.  Finally I did and I made it the day before I was using it.  Just the smell of it cooking on the stove was enough to make my mouth water.  I quickly tasted it before I put it in the jar and I practically swooned.

      I ended up using it as both a glaze and a dipping sauce for chicken strips but it would be good on shrimp, steak, or ribs as well.  My husband wasn't sure if he would like it but he ended up saying how good it was and how he'd like to have it on shrimp next time.  The recipe is easily doubled and can be kept in the refrigerator.

Jack Daniel's Glaze (slightly adapted from Sunny Side Up)
1 head garlic, roasted
2/3 c. water
1 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 c. brown sugar
3 T lemon juice
2 T. white onion, minced
2 T. Jack Daniels Whiskey
1 T. pineapple, minced
1 t. ginger, minced
1/2 t. red pepper
1/2 t. black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the top off of a head of garlic so that the cloves are exposed.  Peel off any papery layers on the garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes.

2.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Boil for 1 minute then reduce head to medium low.

3.  Squeeze the garlic cloves out and into the saucepan.  Throw away the skins.

4.  Whisk in the lemon juice, onion, whiskey, pineapple, ginger, red pepper, and black pepper.

5.  Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the liquid has reduced by half.

6.  In a small bowl combine the water and cornstarch.  Mix well and then add to the saucepan.  Stir well.

7.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

This post linked to: 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays,

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes & Sausage and Sage Stuffing: Thanksgiving Side Dishes

The holidays are quickly approaching and that means I need to start thinking about my Thanksgiving dinner menu.  Every year there are three traditional items that are always including at Thanksgiving dinner; turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing.  The other dishes seem to change but these three are staples at our holiday meal.

     I like to try different versions of mashed potatoes and stuffing each year so that my family gets a taste of the traditional but with a twist.  This year Unilever Spreads and The Clever Girls Collective have come together to share side dishes using Unilever Spreads instead of butter.  This was a very easy challenge for me because we use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! daily at our house.  We enjoy using this spread because it contains less saturated fat then butter, has no cholesterol, and no trans fat.


     I started out making the stuffing because it always takes longer then the mashed potatoes.  I use a combination of white bread and cornbread but it's really all about your own preference.  I loaded the stuffing up with onions, celery, garlic, and sausage sauteed in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, then threw in some fresh sage and parsley from my garden.  It turned out delicious.  The stuffing was crispy on top and soft in the middle with a hint of spice from the sausage and plenty of flavor from the vegetables and herbs.

    The mashed potatoes turned out well too.  Again I used a combination of russet potatoes and red skinned potatoes.   This simple recipe mashes the potatoes along with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, milk, garlic, fresh rosemary, and cheeses.  The flavors burst in my mouth and the dish was beautiful with the bits of red skin peaking out from the mounds of fluffy white potatoes.


Sausage and Sage Stuffing (a Hezzi-D original)
4 c. rustic white bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 c. cornbread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 t. sea salt
1 t. black pepper
3 T. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spread
1 large onion, diced
3 large celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz. mild sausage, casing removed and crumbled
1/4 c. fresh sage, minced
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 t. paprika

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  Place the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 25 minutes, turning twice, until the bread is lightly browned.  Remove from oven.

3.  In a large skillet over medium heat melt the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!  Add in the onions, celery, and garlic and saute for 10 minutes.  

4.  Move the vegetables to the sides of the pan and add in the crumbled sausage.  Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through.  

5.  Add in the sage and parsley and cook for 1 additional minute.  Remove from heat.

6.  Pour the browned bread cubes into a baking dish.  Add in the sausage and vegetable mixture and toss to combine.

7.  In a small bowl beat the egg.  Add in the chicken broth and mix well.  Pour over top of the stuffing and mix until the breadcrumbs are moist but not soggy.

8.  Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil, sprinkle with the paprika, and continue baking for 20 minutes.      

9.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Parmesan Rosemary Mashed Potatoes (adapted from Taste of Home Magazine)
3 lb. potatoes (I used new potatoes and red skinned potatoes) cut into quarters
4 T. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spread
1/4 c. light sour cream
1 c. 2% milk
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. fresh rosemary, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
3 T. Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 T. Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded

1.  Place the potatoes in a Dutch Oven and cover with water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2.  Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pan.  Mash the potatoes.  Add in the sour cream and milk, mixing well.

3.  Stir in the garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and half of the cheeses.  Serve immediately or pour potatoes into a baking dish and keep warm in the oven until time to serve.

Thank you to Good to Know & Unilever Spreads for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

This post linked to:
Mangia Mondays,  Bulletin Board, Mop it Up Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mealtime Monday, Tuesday Talent Show,



    

The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke

     A Fiscal Thriller Set in Historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia Stock market meltdown. United States housing bubble. Global financial crisis. Chief executives cooking the books. Who can you trust for financial advice?

    Gina Van Story, a savvy 40ish investment advisor to the rescue. She can spot a trend on the market and jump on it like a cat. She dreams of grabbing the bull by the horns and is on the hunt for one final big score. Gina and her three best friends form the Bloody Mary Investment Club and come face-to-face with corruption in a David and Goliath struggle when their stock portfolio turns deadly…literally. 

    Over made-to-order Bloody Mary cocktails at historic Gadsby’s Tavern, Gina takes her friends under her wing and teaches them the ins and outs of the stock market. Trouble begins when, following Gina’s bullish advice, they become majority owners in the local bank and then stubbornly turn down a lucrative buyout offer. Not only will money and greed challenge their friendship, they will have to get smart fast and figure out how to turn the tables on the charmingly seductive, yet evil, banker who wants control of their stock by any means necessary – including murder!  (-synopsis from Goodreads)

    I liked Gina from the very beginning.  She is fun, smart, and doesn't put up with anyone's crap.  Throughout the book she helps her friends with personal issues and investment issues.  She is having a great year and it looks like she'll be able to retire as a multimillionaire...until Andrew shows up to town.

    Andrew is everything Gina's boyfriend Johnny is, and more.  He's attractive, strong, and wants to make a deal that Gina shouldn't be able to refuse.  He's offering a price on her stock that's six times more then what she paid.  Gina smells something fishy and refuses to sell the shares of the bank Andrew wants.  The bank just happens to be her boyfriend Johnny's and he's not looking to sell.

    Suddenly Gina and the other ladies in the Bloody Mary Club begin receiving threats and Gina is clubbed over the head one night and her personal bank book is stolen.  They can't call the police so it's up to the 4 women to get the book back and stop Andrew in the process.

     I found the book fun to read and enjoyed hearing the banter between the ladies in the club.  They like to tease each other, can be brutally honest, but have each others best interest at heart. I also enjoyed the scenes between Gina and her investment partners as well as the scenes with Gina and Johnny.  They seemed honest and realistic. 

     The only thing I had some trouble with is this book is the stock market talk.  I didn't understand some of the things they were talking about even after Gina explained them.  It was a little confusing and some of it had a large part in the book which made it harder to understand.  

     Overall the book kept me interesting and wanting to read on to find out what was going to happen.

I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  

 

 ABOUT DEBBIE DYKE

Debbie Dyke is a novelist and businesswoman from Alexandria, Virginia, and has a background in military intelligence, the stock market, executive recruiting and writing.   An Army brat, she’s lived in Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Albania and Holland. She graduated from the American High School in Naples, Italy then attending University of Maryland, Munich Campus.  She graduated from Georgetown University and holds a Bachelors of Science and Masters degree in National Security.  Debbie has two grown children, Lisa and Jordan and has been married to Michael for over thirty wonderful years. Debbie has written 5 screenplays, one Wall Street calendar and two novels.

Visit Debbie Dyke’s site:  http://www.debbiedyke.com

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Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili #SundaySupper

     Two weeks ago I was saying how amazing the weather is and how much I was enjoying recess duty because I had gone out two days in a row with short sleeves and no jacket.  I left for the weekend smiling but then I heard about Hurricane Sandy.  Now I live in Western Maryland and figured that while we would get some rain, it wouldn't be enough for us to have any problems.

      It turns out I was right and wrong.  We didn't end up getting too much rain because I live in the mountains and instead we got 6 incredibly heavy and wet inches of snow!  I was surprised that we received snow instead of rain but it was enough that we were cancelled for several days due to the snow and power outages in the area.  Thankfully we kept our power on throughout the week.

     Since I was off for several days, and it was very cold, it was the perfect time to make my soup for this weeks #SundaySupper.  This week our theme was to make a Soul Warming Food.  Nothing warms me up from the inside like a thick and creamy soup.

     I decided to make a jalapeno popper chicken chili.  When my husband heard what I was making he was pretty excited as jalapeno poppers are one of his favorite.  I like that the soup is fairly light until the cream cheese is added at the end to make it creamy.  I used light cream cheese which tasted amazing and really added a creamy texture to the soup.

     This was the perfect snowy weather soup.  It was spicy, flavorful, and filling.  Paired with a loaf of fresh crusty bread this was all we needed for a complete meal.  The soup itself has both chicken and vegetables in it.  The soup was hearty and warmed us up after a day of shoveling.

Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili (adapted from Cinnamon, Spice, and Everything Nice)
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 jalapeno peppers, diced, seeds removed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. sea salt
1 t. fresh ground mixed peppers (or black pepper)
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 t. Penzey's Arizona Dream spice (or chile powder)
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. paprika
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 c. cannellini beans
2 c. corn
8 oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1.  In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the onion, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, and garlic and saute for 5-7 minutes or until soft.

2.  Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper.  Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add in the chicken.  Lightly brown the chicken on all sides.  

3.  Add in the Arizona Dream, cumin, and paprika.  Stir to combine the spices with the chicken and vegetables.  

4.  Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, cannellini beans, and corn.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

5.  Add in the cream cheese and stir until it is completely melted, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

6.  Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with crumbled bacon and cheese. 

We have over 50 contributors this week, bringing you their best warm you up dishes.  We have everything from stews, soups, main entrees and even some hot drinks and desserts.
Just look at the list below that is coming to the #SundaySupper table this week!

Main Entrees:

• Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole - Happy Baking Days
• Chicken with Herbed Dumplings – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Chicken pot pie – Gotta Get Baked
• Cholula Chicken Enchiladas – Kwistin’s Favorites
• Eggplant Parmesan – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Roots and Fruits with Sausage – Shockingly Delicious

Chili/Stews:

• Beer-Braised Beef – Sustainable Dad
• Bigos {Authentic Polish Hunter’s Stew} – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Brunswick Stew and Rice – Big Bear’s Wife
• Calico Beans – Home Cooking Memories
• Carbonnade Flamande – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chicken Cacciatore {Hunter Style Stew} with Easy Creamy Polenta –Webicurean
• Chicken & Mushroom Stew On Egg Noodles – Galactosemia in PDX
• Cowboy Beef Stew - Comfy Cuisine
• Ham and String Beans – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Moose Meatball Stew – Mrs. Mama Hen
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili - Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lentil and Chorizo Stew – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Seafood Gumbo and Soul Warming #SundaySupper Wine Pairings - ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Soul Warming Hearty Beef Stew - In The Kitchen With KP

Soups:

• 30 Minute Black Bean Soup – Supper for a Steal
• Black Bean Soup – Basic and Delicious
• Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream - The Lovely Pantry
• Canadian Beer Cheese Soup – Juanita’s Cocina
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings – The Messy Baker
• Chicken Tortilla Soup – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup – Damn Delicious
• Easy Chicken and Dumplings – My Catholic Kitchen
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup – Family Foodie
• Easy Wonton Soup – Soni’s Food
• French Onion Soup – Momma’s Meals
• Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings – I Run For Wine
• Lasagna Soup – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup – Mangiamo
• Lentil and Bacon Soup – Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Lentil Soup with Spinach – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Peppery Mulligatawny Soup with Cherry Tomatoes & Cilantro – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Pozolillo Verde {Green Chicken & Corn Pozole} – La Cocina de Leslie
• Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Aromatic Coriander – Chattering Kitchen
• Roasted Jalapeno Soup – Chocolate Moosey
• Rule of Thirds Soup - What Smells So Good?
• Seafood Chowder – Noshing with the Nolands
• Spanish Garlic Soup – Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again
• Spicy Gumbo Z’herbes – Pescetarian Journal
• Spicy Korean Brisket Soup {Yukgaejang} - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup {Jjamppong} – Kimchi Mom
• Spicy Udon Noodle Soup – My Trials In The Kitchen
• Turkey Noodle Soup – Magnolia Days
• Tuscan Bean Soup - The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Twisted Chicken Noodle Soup – The Meltaways
• Warm You Up Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup - Daily Dish Recipes

Desserts/Beverages:

• Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Hot Chocolate with Orange – GirliChef

This post linked to:
Scrumptious Sundays, Shine on Friday, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday Link,

Mojitos

    One of my favorite adult beverages is the mojito.  I love the tartness of the lime paired with the sweetness from the simple syrup with the light flavor of mint.  It's definitely a refreshing summer drink but most places I frequent don't make them because they don't have fresh mint available.


     Lucky for me I have plenty of mint growing in my garden.  In fact, it continues to spread and grow each year.  Mint in the garden is great because it will grow around anything and puts off a light, sweet scent all summer long.  It's also handy for those days when it's 90 degrees and I need a refreshing mojito.

     I started making this beverage several years ago using trial and error and over the years I've perfected it to my tastes.  You may need a little more lime or simple syrup depending on how you like your mojito.  Either way this it a cool, crisp drink perfect for the hot weather.


Mojitos (a Hezzi-D recipe)
1.5 oz. Bicardi light rum
5 fresh mint leaves
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. simple syrup
4 oz. seltzer water (I like lime flavored)
Lime wedge and mint leaves for garnish

1.  Pour the rum into a cocktail shaker.  Tear the mint leaves to pieces and place them in the shaker as well.  Add in the lime juice.  Use the back of a spoon and muddle the contents of the shaker for 1 minute.

2.  Add in the simple syrup and ice.  Cover the shaker and shake for 30 seconds.  Pour in a tall glass over ice.  Top the mixture with seltzer water and stir with a swizzle stick.  Garnish with lime wedge and mint leaves. 

This post linked to:
Gingerbread Sweet Saturday, 

Ravioli with Apples, Bacon, and Spinach

     After a long week at work I love making quick and simple pasta dishes on Friday.  It's a great way to end the week because they don't take long to prepare and pasta is my favorite food.  A few months ago I blogged about Ravioli Florentine which combined ravioli with garlic butter, spinach, and bacon.  While I absolutely love that dish, it is very high in fat.

     Recently when I was reading one of my cooking magazines I came across a similar recipe that included apples and the drippings from the bacon.  It sounded perfect for fall with the warm flavors and apples.

      I loved the flavors in this dish.  The ravioli was stuffed with cheese and spinach, then the salty bacon worked well with the sweet and tart apples as well as the spinach.  It all came together with the garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper.  This is a great dish for a cool fall night.

Ravioli with Apples, Bacon, and Spinach (adapted from Woman's Day)
16 oz. spinach and cheese ravioli
4 slices bacon
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 Gala apple, thinly sliced
2 c. fresh spinach
1 t. salt 
1 t. black pepper
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. white wine


1.  Cook the ravioli according to the package directions.

2.  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Allow to cool then break into pieces.

3.  Add the garlic to the pan with the bacon drippings and heat for 1 minutes on medium heat.  Add in the apple and cook for 2 minutes.



4.  Add in the spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.  Stir in the lemon juice and white wine and heat for an additional minute.

5.  Remove from heat and add the bacon and ravioli.  Stir to combined.

This post linked to: 
5 Minutes for Food, Foodtastic Friday,  Shine on Friday,Seasonal Inspiration, Strut Your Stuff Saturday,

Oatmeal Cookie Pear Bars

      I never really liked pears.  I used to think that they were a softer version of the apple and that they had less flavor.  For years I turned my nose up any time a pear was in the vicinity.   Then last year I made a few jars of pear butter on a whim.  It was instant love.  I had always been particularly fond of apple butter but after making the pear butter there was no contest; the pear butter had a much better flavor.

     Since making the pear butter I've tried my hand at several other dishes using pears.  I've liked them all.  Last week I bought several pears at the market because they were on sale.  I ate several for lunch during the week but here it is Saturday and there were still 3 pears left.    I wanted to make a dessert and when I saw these oatmeal cookie pear bars I knew I had a winner.

    This is the 6th week of The 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted by Meal Planning Magic and I thought these delicious bar cookies would be perfect for a holiday treat.  The base is a brown butter oatmeal cookie.  It's then layered with fresh pear slices and hot caramel sauce is poured over top of the pears.  Then the leftover brown butter oatmeal cookie dough is spread over top of the entire bar.  It's sweet, slightly nutty from the browned butter, and has the delicious and refreshing flavor of pears.  It's a magical holiday treat!

Oatmeal Cookie Pear Bars (adapted from Tutti Dolce)
For the cookie:
5 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. oats
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
1 egg
1/4 c. applesauce

Filling:
1 T. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
3 T. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla
2 large pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 11 x 7 baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.  Heat the butter for the cookie in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir occasionally until it begins to turn a deep brown color, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

3.  Meanwhile, combine the sugar, flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large mixing bowl.

4.  Stir the browned butter into the flour mixture.  Add in the egg and mix well.  Stir in the applesauce and mix until the dough just begins to hold together.

5.  Press all but 1 cup of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.

6.  Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet.  When it starts to brown add in the brown sugar and stir until it is almost dissolved.  Add in the evaporated milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add in the vanilla.

7.  Arrange the pear slices over top of the baked cookie crust.  Pour the hot brown sugar caramel over top of the pear slices.  Scatter the remaining dough over top of the pears.

8.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden.  Cool on a wire rack and then cut into bars.

9.  Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

This post linked to:
Thursday Treasures, Full Plate Thursday,  Fantastic Thursday, Tasty Thursday, Sweets for a Saturday,Crazy Sweet Tuesday,

Fall Rice Krispies Treats

    A few weeks ago I had a fall themed party at school for my students.  My instructional assistant and I love to make desserts to go around a theme and a fall theme sounded like fun.  I wanted to make something that I knew the kids loved, but I wanted to put a spin on it.

    I decided on classic Rice Krispies treats.  Who doesn't like the gooey concoction?  To jazz it it up and make it more fall themed I added in a bag of autumn mix candy corn.  When the treats had cooled you could see that something was in them but it wasn't too clear what it was.

    The kids loved biting into them and finding a pumpkin or a piece of candy corn.  They thought it was fun and I did too!  These are a great treat that the kids could help with too.

Fall Rice Krispies Treats (adapted from Rice Krispies)
3 T. butter
4 c. mini marshmallows
6 c. Rice Krispies cereal
1 (8 oz) bag Autumn Mix candy corn

1.  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add in the marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add in the Rice Krispies and candy corn, taking turns so that the candy corn is evenly distributed. 

3.  Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Using a buttered spoon press the mixture into the prepared pan.

4.  Allow to cool for 30 minutes.  Cut and store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

This post linked to: 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays,

Spiderweb Sugar Cookies

     Last year I made Spiderweb cookies for my students at school.  They not only thought they were delicious but loved how they looked.  I also had a few people ask me to make them for them this year.  After looking to see the directions on how to make them I realized I never blogged them other then showing a picture.

      Because these cookies are versatile and can be used with different colors for different holidays I wanted to make sure I wrote out the directions on how to make them.  I also went looking for another sugar cookie recipe because while I have a go to recipe, I wanted one that yielded a softer cookie.

       Bridget recently did a sugar cookie comparison in which she made 4 different sugar cookies, two of which I have made before, and compared them.  In all honesty, her own recipe looked the best and I gave it a try.  I ended up loving it.  The cookie is buttery and soft in the middle.  They hold up well to royal icing and stay fresh for close to a week.  I think I have a new favorite!

Spiderweb Sugar Cookies (adapted from The Way The Cookie Crumbles)
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
Royal Icing

1.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until smooth.  Gradually add in the sugar and continue mixing on medium until fluffy.

3.  Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until mixed well.

4.  Place the mixer on low and add in the flour mixture, mixing until just blended.

5.  Knead the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

6.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

7.  On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut the cookies using a 3 inch circular cookie cutter.  (I used a biscuit cutter.)  Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until they no longer look wet on top.

8.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack.  Cool completely.

9.  Make a large bowl of royal icing from THIS recipe.  Place 3/4 of it in a large bowl and 1/4 of it in a small bowl.

10.  Tint the large bowl orange and the small bowl black.  (I used Americolor Food Coloring)

11.  Place half of the orange icing into a piping bag with a small tip.  Pipe a large orange circle onto each cookie.

12.  Place the remaining orange icing back into a bowl and thin it slightly with water.  Put the black icing int a piping back with a small tip.

13.  Working on 3 or 4 cookies at a time flood the cookie with orange icing.  Immediately place a black dot in the center with 3 black circles around the dot.  Immediately drag a toothpick through the black icing.  You can choose to go from the inside to the outside only or you can go both ways for a different design.


14.  Allow to dry over night.  Place in an air tight container and keep for up to 1 week.

Happy Halloween!

This post linked to:
Wonderful Wednesdays,  Recipe Box Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, 

Cheddar Green Bean Casserole

     I enjoy green bean casserole as much as the next person.  The creamy beans topped with crispy fried onions are delicious.  The only thing I don't like about the casserole is the use of creamed soup.  I found this recipe that not only leaves out the creamed soup but adds in cheese and a delicious, crisp topping.

     The green bean casserole is cheesy and tasty.  I enjoyed the creamy cheese sauce and the combination of breadcrumbs, fried onions, and cheese on top.  It's a great alternative to the original casserole and perfect for any cheese lover.

Cheddar Green Bean Casserole (adapted from Life and Kitchen)
For the topping:
2 slices of bread, crusts removed, torn into quarters
1 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
3/4 c. canned fried onions
1/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded 
For the beans and sauce:
1 lb. frozen green beans, thawed in the refrigerator
1 T. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. black pepper
1 T. flour
3/4 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. fat free half and half
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Pulse the bread, butter, salt, and pepper in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large bowl and mix with fried onions and cheese; set aside.

2.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 9 pan with cooking spray.

3.  In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the butter.  Add in the garlic and pepper.  Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.

4.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium.  Add in the half and half and the cheddar cheese.  Mix well. 

5.  Add the green beans to the sauce and stir until coated.   Spread in the 9 x 9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with the topping and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges. 

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays, Bulletin Board,Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show,