Maple Pecan Tart

Maple Pecan Tart

1 refrigerated rolled piecrust (1/2 of a 15 ounce package)

3 eggs

2 Tablespoons sugar

¾ cup real maple syrup

1 Tablespoon maple flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups whole pecans

Preheat to 450. Unroll piecrust & press onto bottom & sides of a 9inch tart pan with a removable bottom, leaving a 1 inch overhang of crust. Fold overhang inward & use your fingers to press crust into sides of tart pan. Using a fork, prick bottom & side of the crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temp. to 325

In a large bowl, combine eggs & sugar; beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until foamy. Add maple syrup, maple flavoring, and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour, melted butter, and salt. Beat until combined.

Spread nuts in bottom on the cooled piecrust. Pour maple syrup mixture over nuts. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or just until center is set. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: for special touch, stir 1-2 teaspoons maple flavoring into 1 container (8 ounce) frozen whipped topping that is thawed. Serve with pie.

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan


4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
1/2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 cup tomato sauce, I used Muir Glen Garlic
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
fresh basil (optional)

Cover chicken breast with parchment paper or plastic wrap & use meat mallet to pound chicken until it is uniformly 1/4" thick. Season with s& p.

Place egg whites in bowl. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan, & italian seasoning on large plate.
dip each breast into egg whites & coat both sides, then into crumb mixture.

Heal oil in skillet & saute over medium heat. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side until it is deeply brown & crunchy. Then cook another 2-3 minutes & transfer to baking pan.

Spoon tomato sauce over chicken pieces & put in oven @ 350 degrees. Cook 15 minutes or until chicken is done. A few minutes before it is done slice up the mozzarella & put a chunk on top & let melt.
*I also cooked up some penne & served it underneath the chicken for a yummy pasta dish!*

Cutout Cookies

Cutout Cookies

1 package (17 ounce) sugar cookie mix

¼ cup flour

1 package cream cheese (3 ounce)

1 egg

1 package (12 ounce) mini m&m’s

Preheat to 300 degrees

In large bowl, mix sugar cookie mix & flour.

Place cream cheese in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Add cream cheese & egg to cookie mix mixture. Stir until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Lightly sprinkle a flat rolling surface & rolling pin with flour. Using the rolling pin, roll out half of the dough on floured surface until ¼ inch thick, turning the dough so it doesn’t stick.

Dip a cookie cutter into flour. Cut shapes.

Place on cookie sheet. Decorate each cookie with m&m’s. place cookies in fridge for 15 minutes. Then bake for 10-12 minutes.

Baked Ravioli

Baked Ravioli

2 Tablespoons EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

s&p

1 ½ teaspoons oregano

1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

2 pounds ravioli

1 ½ cups mozzarella

½ cups Parmesan cheese

Preheat to 425.

Heal oil in pan over med. heat; add onion, garlic & s/p. cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 5 minutes. Add oregano & tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, & simmer; breaking up tomatoes with a spoon until sauce is thickened & reduced to 5 ½ cups, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ravioli in pot until they float to the top. Drain & return to pot. Toss the sauce with the pasta. Pour pasta into large gratin dish or 9X13 & sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden; 20-25 minutes.

Chicken and Ravioli Carbonara

Chicken and Ravioli Carbonara

2 Tablespoons Italian dressing

1 Ib chicken breasts, cut into strips

¾ cup chicken broth

1 package (9 ounce) cheese filled ravioli

½ cup half & half

4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

Shredded parmesan cheese

Parsley

In a 10 inch skillet, heat dressing on high heat. Cook chicken in dressing.

Add broth & ravioli and heat to boiling; reduce to medium. Cook uncovered 4 minutes until ravioli are tender & broth is almost evaporated. Stir in half & half; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 3-5 minutes or until sauce is done. Cooking it longer will make it thicker. Sprinkle with bacon & parsely.

Chicken with a Lemon Herb Sauce

Chicken with a Lemon Herb Sauce

Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Herb Sauce

• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

For the Chicken: Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the skillet. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on the smooth side of each breast. Place in the skillet seasoned side down and cook without disturbing until brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the top side of the chicken and flip. Cook 1 minute over the burner; then transfer the skillet to the oven until chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 to 8 minutes more. Place on a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the sauce: smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with the salt, and with the side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Transfer to a blender with the parsley, mint, pepper, lemon zest, and juice. Pulse until coarsely chopped and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Pour into a small bowl and adjust seasoning. Deglaze pan with the sauce, if desired, and serve with the chicken.

Enchiladas with avocado-corn salad

Enchiladas with avocado-corn salad

*I didn't have an avocado, so instead I just used some limes & tomato*

8 flour tortillas

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup cheddar-jack Mexican style cheese

1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce

1 ripe Hass avocado

1 pt grape tomatoes

2 cans (11oz) corn kernels, drained

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1/8 tsp s & p

Preheat oven to 400.

Microwave tortillas until pliable. Divide chicken & ¾ cup cheese evenly among tortillas. Roll up & place seam side down in a single layer in baking dish. Pour on enchilada sauce; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Avocado-Corn salad:

While chicken cooks, halve, pit, & dive avocado & cut grape tomatoes in ½. Put in a bowl with remaining ingredients (lime juice, s&p, corn) toss gently and serve.

Lemon Almond Cake

Lemon Almond Cake

1 box(18.25 ounce) lemon cake mix

1 ¼ cup water

1/3 cup veg. oil

3 eggs

½ cup ground almonds

2 ½ cups sweetend flaked coconut, very lightly toasted

1 can (16 ounce) lemon frosting

3 ounces sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat to 350. Butter & flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

Combine cake mix, water, oil, eggs in large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in ground almonds and ½ cup coconut. Divide batter between pans.

Bake 30 minutes and cool for 15 minues. Invert cakes on cooling rack and let completely cool. Place 1 cake layer on serving platter. Spread ½ cup frosting over cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Frost top & sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press sliced almonds around cake sides. Sprinkle top with remaining 2 cups coconut.

*For toasting- preheat to 350 & place almonds or coconut on baking sheet. Toast 6-8 minutes.