Cranberry Bliss Bars

Ingredients

Blondie Layer:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (Or dried cherries)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional) (I omitted)

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave or until melted; stir in brown sugar. Pour the butter and sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Let the frosting set (speed this up by throwing them into the fridge) then cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Photo + Recipe Source://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/12/cranberry-bliss-bars.html#SCUcIiloA1ZRYPL5.99

Mom's Lasagna

Here's my mom's email for her lasagna recipe:

Hi Sissy,

I don't actually use a recipe!

I just heat up Traditional Ragu and add cooked, broken up ground beef, let it simmer together. Usually add garlic powder, sprinkle in dried chopped onion, basil...

Cook lasagna noodles in salted water (9 to 12 pieces depending on whether you want 3 layers or 4). Drain in colander.

Mix in a bowl.., a container (15 oz) of non fat cottage cheese or non fat ricotta with dried parsley, an egg, a little bit of the shredded parmesan and some shredded mozzarella. Maybe some black pepper

Ladle some sauce in a 9 x 13 glass dish and spread on bottom. Lay 3 noodles. Spread ricotta mixture on top. Sprinkle on some mozzarella and parmesan. Repeat layers--sauce, noodles, mixture, cheese...till all gone. End with the sauce and cheese on top.

Bake about 20 to 30 minutes till bubbly.

Voila!

Italian Knot Cookies

My mother is 100 percent Sicilian. When I was a child I remember eating Old* Aunt Mary and Old Aunt Eleanor's Italian Knot Cookies and loving them!! I've always wanted to recreate them and this recipe is the closest I've found so far.

*I think my mom tacked on "old" to distinguish them as her Aunts as opposed to our Aunts.

Ingredients:

Cookies:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons lemon zest
(I had to add some milk because the gluten free mixture was too dry)

Icing:
1-1/2 cups confectioners'  sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon almond extract
Colored sprinkles


Directions:

To make the cookies:
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs,
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and zest.
Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well to combine. The dough will be
soft.

Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 baking sheets.

Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface. Break off golf-ball size pieces of
dough. Roll each piece into a rope about 7 inches long and 1/2 inch in
diameter. Tie into a knot with one end poking up in the center. Place 1-inch
apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly
browned. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly.
You want the cookies to be slightly warm when you add the icing.


To make the icing:
In a bowl, stir together the confectioners'  sugar and milk until smooth.
Stir in the almond extract. Add more milk if necessary to make a slightly thin
icing. Dip the top of each cookie into the icing. Place the cookies on wire racks
and top with the colored sprinkles. Allow the icing to dry before storing.
These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container for about 1 week.

Picture and recipe: http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/knot_cookies.html

Total caloric yield (made with gluten free flour blend): 2,690/#cookies

My Go-to Gluten-free Flour Blend

3 c Yield:

1 cup sorghum flour
1½ cup potato starch
½ cup tapioca starch or flour
2 t. xanthan gum

9 c Yield:
3 cups sorghum flour
4½ cup potato starch
1½ cup tapioca starch or flour
6 t. xanthan gum

15 c Yield

5 c sorghum flour

7½ cup potato starch
2½ cup tapioca starch or flour
10 t. xanthan gum

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 4)
1 1/4 cups chopped celery (about 3)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
3 cups peeled and 1/2-inch thick diced potatoes (from about 3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans
1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
1 cup frozen or fresh peas

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute 3 - 4 minutes then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Pour in broth (if you want lesser ratio of broth use 3 cans then only 3/4 cup of the 4th can) and add tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then add green beans, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 - 30 minutes, then add corn and peas and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Recipe and picture source: Cooking Classy http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/10/vegetable-soup/

Soft Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks

I was really wanting to make a ginger cookie of sorts, but Ryan insisted that he HATED them. I told him they would be good and whipped up these. HE. LOVED. THEM. He's now a gingersnap fan :)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses  (I used slightly less)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

1 cup granulated sugar-for coating cookie dough balls

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment papers or with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

3. Beat in the molasses, vanilla, and eggs.

4. Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

5. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Next, stir in the white chocolate chunks.

6. Scoop the dough into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on lined baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, the cookies will still be soft. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Recipe and picture: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/soft-gingersnap-cookies-with-white-chocolate-chunks/

Zingerman's Black Magic Brownies

less fudgy than the baked brownie**good medium between cakey and fudgey

INGREDIENTS:
13 tablespoons (184 grams) unsalted butter
6½ ounces (184 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
¾ cup (90 grams) sifted all-purpose flour
¾ cup (85 grams) sifted cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups (397 grams) granulated sugar
4 eggs
1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt.

4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, until lemon-colored and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined, then give it a final stir by hand with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

5. Bake until brownies appear set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Cut the brownies into squares and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The brownies can also be frozen (wrapped individually and placed in a resealable freezer bag) for up to 2 months.

recipe+picture: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/zingermans-black-magic-brownies/

THE BAKED BROWNIE

fudgey and yummy

INGREDIENTS:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I used Starbucks Via decaf)
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

I layer 2 bars of Hershey's Symphony Chocolate in between batter

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.


recipe and picture:  http://www.browneyedbaker.com/the-baked-brownie/

Gluten-Free French Bread

This bread is delicious and really doesn't make you miss gluten!

Author: Linda Etherton

Ingredients

1 cup sorghum flour
1½ cup potato starch
½ cup tapioca starch or flour
1½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon guar gum (or xanthan)
1½ Tablespoons instant or bread machine yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 cup warm water (105 – 115 degrees)

Instructions

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the dry ingredients (sorghum flour through yeast).

Add the olive oil and egg whites and mix to incorporate.

Add the vinegar and most of the water. Beat for 2 minutes, adding the remaining water if needed to make a soft dough.

Spoon the dough onto the pan and carefully shape with a spatula. Because the dough is soft, it will go through the small holes in the pan. Don’t press hard when shaping.

If you like, you can brush the top with beaten egg white.

Use a sharp knife to cut several slits in the top of each loaf.

Place the pan in a cold oven on a middle rack. Turn the oven on to 425 degrees and begin timing for 30 – 35 minutes.

Cool the loaves on a wire wrack before slicing.

Photo and recipe: http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/gluten-free-french-bread-recipe/#sthash.8bKCMrHV.dpuf

Cherry Pie

Crust

Makes 3 pie crusts
3 cups flour
1-1/4 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar

Use a fork or a pastry blender to crumb the Crisco into the flour until it forms little balls about the size of peas  Mix all the other ingredients together, and add to the flour-Crisco mixture using a spoon.

Use a rolling pin with decisive strokes to make each circle of dough on a flour-coated surface, coating the dough with liberal amounts of extra flour when it gets sticky.  Use a spatula under the rolled-out dough to free up and fold each circle into quarters.  Put the folded dough into the the pie plate, unfold and use your hands to shape it to shape it to the plate.

It's OK if it breaks apart, just work your will on it.  It gets easier with practice.  Geraldine could practically do it in her sleep, and I've gotten close to that stage myself

Filling:
As you're preparing the filling, preheat the oven to 425.

Pour into a colander set over a bowl:

• 3 pounds bottled or canned unsweetened cherries (2 big jars, or 3 smaller cans) (Morello cherries from Trader Joe's).  Shake the cherries to drain, and save 1/2 cup of the juice.  Combine cherries and juice with:
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of thickener (you can also use quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh if you have it
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes, then pour into bottom of the crust and dot with:
2-3 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces


Cover with the lattice or streusel mix.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Then slip a baking sheet under the pie, reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake until the juices bubble, about 25-35 minutes more.

Picture:  http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/pie-of-the-week-how-to-make-sweet-cherry-pie.html

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

Yield: 12 regular size muffinsPrep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 20 minutes
Spiced apple muffins with a sweet and buttery cinnamon crumb topping. These muffins are easy to make and are great for breakfast or snack time.

ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour*
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg (I used 2)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups diced peeled apples (I use Granny Smith)

For the Topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons melted butter

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and all-spice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Do not over mix. Add in the apples and stir until just combined.

3. To make the crumb topping, in a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter. Mix with a spoon until crumbly.

3. Fill the prepared muffin pan with muffin batter, filling each cup about 3/4 the way full. Sprinkle each muffin with crumb topping. Bake for 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool to room temperature and serve.

Picture + recipe adapted from: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/apple-cinnamon-crumb-muffins/

Gluten-free Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup coconut flour 

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/8 c. coconut oil (melted)  (2 tablespoons)

4 eggs 

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 t. vanilla extract

1/4 cup M&Ms and chocolate chips (plus a few more to add once cookies are scooped)

preheat oven to 375

bake for 15 minutes

Chicken Soup

Banana Muffins