Made By Melissa

Not really my first ever sugar cookies, but my first sugar cookies that did not come from a box and tasted good! It was also my first time using royal icing as well and the flood icing technique. The recipe for the cookies comes from Blonde Ambition In the Kitchen, you should definitely check out her blog next time you are looking for something yummy to bake! The best thing about these cookies is that they stayed soft for more than 5 minutes! I took them out of the oven as soon as they started to turn golden brown around the edges- about 6 minutes.

The use of royal icing is something that I think will take some practice, but has the potential to produce beautiful cookies. For some examples, visit Bake at 350, she also has some helpful hints that came in handy for me. My cookies looked ok, but I wanted to post them anyway because I put a lot of time and effort into them! Like I said, I think with practice, my next batch will come out better. I used the royal icing recipe from the Wilton meringue powder container.

Famous Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup butter (VERY soft)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

• 3 tablespoons Meringue Powder
• 1 lb. (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar (about 1lb.)
• 6 tablespoons warm water*
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Wilton Gel Color, rose petal pink

Beat all ingredients, except color until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer). Recipe makes 3 cups, which was more that enough for these cookies. However, a half batch would probably not be enough.

* For stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.

To frost the cookies, I used a pastry bag with a number 2 tip and a Wilton squeeze bottle. The very basic technique is to use the pastry bag to outline whatever shape you want, in this case the heart. Then take some of your icing and dilute it to a syrup consistency, pour it into the squeeze bottle and use that to ”zig-zag” it into the outline. Then take a toothpick and smooth over the icing and spread it into the corners, making it nice and smooth. The icing becomes hard as it dries. Be careful not to make the icing to thin, or it will take forever to dry! Then I went over the hardened icing and added some decoration with the pastry bag and regular consistency icing. This post explains the process better and has some pictures.  

I must have made at least 4 batches of these muffins last fall. The recipe came from The What’s Cooking board, and I simply copied and pasted it since it was pre-blogging days. After a google search, it appears the original recipe came from here. I think these muffins are better than Starbucks! I made a few changes and re-wrote the directions a little, based on another muffin recipe I have, for my own reference. These muffins also freeze well, which is good since the recipe makes about 24 muffins!

Almost-Like-Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon (Increased to 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tsp nutmeg (Omitted)
• 1 tsp ground cloves (Omitted)
• 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of cardamom (optional) (Omitted)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soda
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil (I subbed 1/2 cup applesauce and 3/4 cup oil)
• 8 oz package cream cheese* (I used the cinnamon swirl flavor)
• Chopped nuts** (walnuts, pecans) (optional) (Walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, set aside. In a large bowl/stand mixer, combine eggs, sugar and oil. Mix well, stir in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients until combined and batter is thick. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese in the middle, pressing down. I put additional tablespoon or so of batter on top of cream cheese, to “hide” it in the muffin. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!). Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools, as it is very very hot. Makes 24 muffins.

*The best cream cheese to use is the cheesecake flavored kind. Put the entire tub or brick on a piece of tin foil, and shape it into a long log. Put it in the freezer while you mix and fill the pans, up to an hour. Unwrap and cut with a sharp knife. If the disks are too big around, cut thick slices and then cut them in half. This keeps the cream cheese in one big lump, and also lets you push it down into the batter. I don’t bother with this step, since I add batter on top of cream cheese.

**Starbucks uses chopped pumpkin seeds, which are very good if you can find them. I like walnuts, but any kind of nuts work well.

This baked pasta dish comes from Bexxie’s Blog. I love that it is creamy, but does not have any ricotta cheese, so Nate will eat it! Be prepared to eat left-overs for several days, or serve this when you have company because this recipe makes a lot! Original source is WilliamsSonoma.com.

Baked Rigatoni with Beef Ragu

• 1 lb. rigatoni
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 large can (28 oz.) peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream (I low-fat free 1/2 and 1/2, but the real stuff would be better)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lb. whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni, stir well and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), about 15 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain the rigatoni, place in a large bowl and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

In the same pot, heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Drain off any fat. Add the parsley, oregano and tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes break down and the flavors have melded, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream, raise the heat and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Return the rigatoni to the pot with the sauce and toss to coat well.

Oil the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Spread half of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta, the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for about 5 minutes and serve. Serves 6.

There are a couple different versions of this recipe floating around- some with a whole chicken, some with chicken parts, different herbs etc. I chose to go with this one from crockpotrecipes101.com. I made a few changes, based on what I had on hand. This chicken came out well, not as good as I thought it would be, but something I will probably make again. All of the extra roasted garlic was a huge bonus though! I added red potatoes to the crock-pot, one less side for me to cook.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

• 40 cloves garlic (about 3 heads of garlic)
• 2 sprigs rosemary (I used dried)
• 2 sprigs thyme (I used dried)
• 2 sprigs sage (I used dried)
• 2 sprigs Italian parsley
• Ground pepper to taste
• 3 pounds roasting or fryer chicken
• 3 stalks celery
• 4 red potatoes, quartered
• Loaf french bread - optional

Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Put celery on the bottom of the crock-pot. I rubbed the chicken with olive oil inside and out, then sprinkled with the dried herbs. Put 1 sprig of each herb into the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken on top of the celery. Add potatoes around chicken. Cut up the rest of the herbs and sprinkle on top of the chicken. Add ground pepper to taste. Peel garlic, leave skin on, and place on top and around chicken. I have a 6qt. crock-pot, so I added about 3/4 cup chicken broth. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Remove chicken from crock-pot and place on a platter, arrange potatoes around chicken and top with some fresh parsley. The cooked garlic can be used in place as garlic butter for the french bread. Just squeeze and spread onto bread slices.

On my first ever trip to Trader Joe’s, I knew I had to pick up some much-raved-about pizza dough. I generally go the boboli route when it comes to homemade pizza, my one attempt with actual dough resulted in a very messy kitchen and a very lop-sided pizza. But, after hearing so many great things about TJ’s dough, I decided to give it a try.

For this pizza, I used the garlic herb dough, as well as TJ’s Alfredo sauce and roasted minced garlic. The crust was fantastic! The Alfredo sauce was pretty good, definitely convenient for a busy night, but if I had time I would probably make my own. The roasted garlic added a lot of flavor to the pizza and I look forward to using it in more dishes. I also bought some plain pizza dough and a few other items you will see in future entries!

After reading several reviews for the crust on traderjoesfan.com, as well as the advice from the What’s Cooking? forum, I decided to pre-bake the crust. I also made my pizza into a rectangle, as I don’t have a pizza stone (yet!) We had this with a side salad. I am definitely looking forward to making more home-made pizzas!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

• Trader Joes garlic herb pizza dough
• Alfredo sauce
• 2 small or 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• Trader Joes roasted minced garlic
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

 Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Let dough sit out at room temp for 20 minutes ( I read this is important to make the dough roll easily.) Work with dough on a well-floured surface to shape into a circle/rectangle with a rolling pin. Some people find it is easier to stretch the dough by hand, I thought the rolling pin worked better. Bake the dough in pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Season chicken breast(s) with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat, add chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, add another tablespoon of olive oil or so, add onions to pan and turn down heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are golden brown, about 12-14 minutes.

Remove pre-baked crust from the oven and spread on Alfredo sauce (I used about 1/2 a jar.) Top with chopped chicken, onions, roasted garlic and cheeses. Return to oven and bake another 12-14 minutes, until crust is golden brown on the edges.

I made these cookies to use up the left-over raspberry filling I had from my raspberry filled cupcakes. I had made these at Christmas time as well to give out in cookie tins. They are very good and very pretty cookies! The recipe comes from allrecipes.com

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (or raspberry filling)

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon milk (I use 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small indent in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with preserves.

Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet, transfer to cooling rack.

In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies. (I wait until they have cooled off so the glaze doesn’t melt)

This recipe popped up in my google reader from Sweet Tea in Texas. It worked out well since I was planning on searching for a gnocchi recipe that day. I bought a large box of gnocchi on my last trip to Sam’s Club and it had just been sitting there since. This recipe was great since I had most of the ingredients on hand already. The only problem was the spinach. My oh-so-picky husband does not like cooked spinach, so I needed to think of something green and leafy I could substitute. Since I was already using sausage in the recipe, my mind went to Zuppa Toscana soup, he eats the kale in the soup without even thinking about it. The end result was very good and something I will make again. So here is my version, with kale and a few other changes, the original recipe can be found at realsimple.com.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Kale

• One 17.5 ounce package shelf stable gnocchi
• 1 roll bulk sausage ( I used Jimmy Dean light)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• medium bunch of kale leaves, rinsed and chopped, stems discarded (or 1 5oz. bag of baby spinach)
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing

Heat the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, crumbling  it with  a spoon. When sausage is almost completely browned, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, chicken broth, kale and seasonings, cover, stir occasionally. It will look like a lot of kale, but it will wilt down as it cooks. While sausage mixture is simmering, cook the gnocchi according to package directions.

When gnocchi is cooked, drain and add to the sausage mixture, add Parmesan cheese and toss together. Divide among individual bowls and top with additional Parmesan.

Sunday night was a very sad night in New England. Our beloved Patriots and their perfect season done. Done. Done. Done. It’s all over. We don’t just love our teams in New England, we LOVE our teams. Onward and upward though, there is always next season. 

On a positive note, the food was good and Red Sox season starts soon.

We snacked off and on throughout the night on: steak tips, veggie bars, stuffed sausage cups and finished off with raspberry filled white cupcakes.

I copied and pasted this recipe a long time ago, well before I started this blog. So, if this is your recipe, or you have the source, please let me know so I can give you credit! These hearty little appetizers are very good, certainly better than my picture makes them look.

Stuffed Sausage Cups

• 1 pound ground sausage
• 4-5 green onions, sliced thinly (I used about 1/4 of an onion, chopped)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used low fat)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 packages Athens mini filo cups

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, brown sausage over medium heat. Add onion and cream cheese, stirring constantly until cheese has melted. Add cheddar cheese and continue to heat through until the cheddar has just melted. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each mini filo cup. Arrange filled cups on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden brown.

These veggie bars are so good! They are a great way to have fresh vegetables at a party without going the traditional veggies and dip routine. From allrecipes.com, I typically only make half of the recipe, unless there is a large group of people.

Veggie Bars (1/2 of traditional recipe w/my modifications) 

• 1 8-ounce package crescent rolls
• 1 8-ounce package low-fat cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
• ½ envelope ranch dressing mix
• Assorted raw vegetables, chopped (tomatoes, broccoli, red onions, celery, carrots, cauliflower, green and/or red peppers)
• ½ to ¾ cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread crescent rolls out onto a baking sheet or a pizza pan. Crimp seams together. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Leave on pan until cool.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing - mix well. Spread over cooled crust. Top with assorted vegetables. Sprinkle cheese over top. Chill 1 - 2 hours before serving. Cut into bars and serve.