Chipper Bars

Taken from Cooks.com

These bars come with a WARNING:  You can't just eat one.  You'll eat an entire row....or 2....not like I know anything about that.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 c. oatmeal

1 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. peanut butter

1 c. chocolate chips

In large bowl, mix oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, butter, soda and salt. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mix; set aside. Press remaining crumbs on bottom of greased 13 x 9 inch pan. 

In small bowl, stir milk, and peanut butter. Pour evenly over crumb mix in pan. 

Sprinkle with chocolate chips. 

Put reserved crumb mix on top. 

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Cool and cut into bars.  

Inhale.

Monkey Bread

Make this.  No seriously,  Make it.  

Recipe taken from Smitten Kitchen - the best food blog out there.

Dough
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, divided (2 tablespoons softened, 2 tablespoons melted)
1 cup milk, warm (around 110 degrees)
1/3 cup water, warm (also around 110 degrees)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons rapid rise, instant or bread machine yeast
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for work surface
2 teaspoons table salt

Brown Sugar Coating
1 cup packed light brown sugar (CI advises against dark brown, which they feel imparts too strong of a molasses taste; I suspect it wouldn’t bother me)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick or 4 ounces), mleted

Cream Cheese Glaze
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus extra if needed
2 tablespoons milk, plus extra if needed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Get oven and pan ready: Adjust oven rack to medium-low position and heat oven to 200°F. When oven reaches 200, turn it off. Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.

Make dough: In large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast.

To proceed with a stand mixer, mix flour and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, 6 to 7 minutes. (The dough should be sticky but if it is too wet to come together into anything cohesive, add an additional 2 tablespoons flour.) Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form smooth, round ball.

To proceed by hand, mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make well in flour, then add milk mixture to well. Using wooden spoon, stir until dough becomes shaggy and is difficult to stir. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and begin to knead, incorporating shaggy scraps back into dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes. Shape into taut ball and proceed as directed.

Coat large bowl with nonstick cooking spray or a tablespoon of neutral oil. Place dough in bowl and coat surface of dough with more cooking spray or oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until dough doubles in size, 50 to 60 minutes.

Make brown sugar coating: Place melted butter in one bowl. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a second one.

Form the bread: Flip dough out onto floured surface and gently pat into an 8-inch square. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut dough into 64 pieces. I found it helpful to immediately separate them from the rest of the “grid” or they quickly reformed a big doughy square in 64 parts.

Roll each piece of dough into ball. Working one at a time, dip balls in melted butter, allowing excess butter to drip back into bowl. (I found a fork to be helpful for this process.) Roll in brown sugar mixture, then layer balls in Bundt pan, staggering seams (something I didn’t do, but should have) where dough balls meet as you build layers.

Cover Bundt pan tightly with plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until dough balls are puffy and have risen 1 to 2 inches from top of pan, 50 to 70 minutes.

Bake bread: Remove pan from oven and heat oven to 350°F. Unwrap pan and bake until top is deep brown and caramel might begin to bubble around edges, 30 to 35 minutes. (The reason for the “might” is that CI says that it should, but mine did not bubble, leading me to bake mine for an extra 5 to 10 minutes, during which it still did not bubble but go the dark crust you see in the photos. Next time, I’d take it out sooner.) Cool in pan for 5 minutes (no longer, or you’ll have trouble getting it out) then turn out on platter and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Make glaze: Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and light. Add milk and vanilla and this is where you can kick me because I completely forgot I was a food blogger for a minute there and know I added a touch more milk and sugar but did not write down how much. I have some nerve! Just taste and adjust — you’re looking for something that tastes equally tangy and sweet, and texturally thin enough to drape over the bread but thick enough that it will not just roll off completely.

Drizzle the glaze over warm monkey bread, letting it run over top and sides of bread. Serve warm.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Caserole

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3 chicken breasts
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
2/3C white wine
salt and pepper
1 pkg (5-8oz) prosciutto
3C cooked rice - I used Jasmine
14oz chicken broth
2T butter
1/4C flour
1/4C sour cream
1/4C milk
2T parsley, chopped
1C Swiss cheese, grated
2-3T blue cheese crumbles

1. Chop and saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Chop and saute chicken breasts in same pan, adding white wine, salt and pepper.

2. While the chicken is cooking, chop prosciutto and place on wax paper. Microwave for 5 minutes, until slightly crisp.

3. When chicken is done, place in a large mixing bowl with rice and prosciutto.

4. Using same saute pan, bring chicken broth and butter to boil. Very slowly add flour while whisking. Continue to whisk until smooth. {This sauce is called a roux.}

5. Add roux to the chicken/rice mixture and stir well. Add sour cream, milk, parsley and cheeses.

6. Bake at 400 for 25-20 minutes, until bubbling.

The Frenchy Burger

This is my rendition of the fabulous burger from the Blue Door Pub.

Makes 4 large burgers

1.25lbs ground hamburger
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
6 slices provolone cheese
5-6 basil leaves, minced
1 sprig oregano, leaves removed and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pkg baby bella mushrooms, sauteed in butter and garlic
3/4tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 white wine
2T olive oil
1 jar Au Jus (I use Jimmy's)
4 good buns - See recipe for pretzel rolls

1. Saute onion, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and white wine over medium heat for 30 minutes, until onions are translucent.

2. In the meantime, combine hamburger, basil, oregano, Worcestershire, seasoned salt and pepper in bowl.

3. Form hamburger mixture into large, flat patties - I am talking cake plate sized.

4. Place sauteed onion mixture in center of patty and top with 1/2 slice provolone. Wrap the sides of the burger up on top of the mixture and pinch all seams closed well, or they will open when cooking.

5. Place on grill, seamed side down first. Cook for about 8 minutes on each side, to ensure meat is fully cooked on inside. 2 minutes prior to removing burgers from grill, place full slice of provolone on top to melt.

6. Place on bun and serve with a side of Au Jus.

Sides at the Blue Door Pub include sea salt french fries, beer battered green beans and tater tots. I opted to serve our burgers with tater tots and seasoned sour cream.

Mama B's Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Pasta Salad

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/2 C Louisiana Hot Sauce, or other Buffalo sauce
1- 1lb package bow tie pasta, cooked
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 small purple onion, finely chopped
3/4C blue cheese dressing - I use Lighthouse brand, in the cold case
1/2C real mayo
1/2C sour cream
1/4C blue cheese crumbles
1/4tsp celery seeds
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp black pepper

1. Add the hot sauce to uncooked chicken pieces, let marinade in refrig for 1-2 hours before cooking. Saute in frying pan with small amt of olive oil. Cool.

2. Mix wet ingredients.

3. Add everything together in large bowl. Place in refrig for at least 1 hour.

This is best prepared in advance and eaten on day 2, 3 etc.

Smothered Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts
1 pkg baby bella mushrooms
1/2C feta cheese crumbles
1 small onion
1 package (5oz) Prosciutto, grilled and crumbled
1/2 C white wine
2T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Grill chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms and onion in white wine, olive oil and garlic.

3. Crisp prosciutto on grill with chicken

4. When chicken is done, place on plate. Top with feta cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms and onion. Excellent with white wine!

Crock Pot Garlic Chicken

1 head garlic - peeled and kept whole
6 chicken breasts, dredged in flour
1/2 bottle white wine
2 C chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4C chives, chopped
1/2 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
Rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2C flour
1/2 jar capers

1. Pour white wine and chicken broth in bottom of crock pot.

2. Add garlic

3. Add chicken

4. Top chicken with seasonings, capers and chives.

Cook in crock pot on high for 3 hours. Add lemon rind and lemon juice in last 15 minutes of cooking. Transfer chicken to serving dish.

In saute pan, pour in cooking liquid from crock pot. Bring to boil. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid in separate bowl. Whisk in flour until completely mixed, then add to boiling cooking liquid. Mash garlic cloves into gravy. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Pour gravy over top of chicken.

Serve with sour cream mashed potatoes and asparagus sauteed with scallions and prosciutto.

You can also use cooked garlic cloves to make garlic butter to eat with no-knead bread!

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

1 rotisserie chicken or 1lb chicken breasts, cooked and diced
3C wild rice, cooked
1/4C white wine
2C carrots, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
3-4T fresh parsley, minced
1 container (16oz) sour cream
2 family sized cans cream of chicken soup
20-24oz chicken stock
6-8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer carrots, garlic and onion in chicken stock and white wine until carrots are soft and onions are translucent. Add chicken, wild rice, parsley, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, bacon, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning on bottom of pan. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. If soup is too thick, add milk or more chicken stock to achieve desired consistency.

Lemon Bars

From my mom

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2C flour
1C butter
1/2C powdered sugar
4 eggs
2C white sugar
3T flour
1T brown sugar
4T lemon juice
2T lemon rind (from about 2 lemons)

Mix flour, butter and powdered sugar. Pat into 9"X13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients and pour over crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and loosen edges with knife. Let cool fully - cut and serve.

Graham Cracker Toffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2pkg graham crackers, snapped in half (to make 2 squares)
1C butter
1C brown sugar
1 bag chocolate chips
1 1/2 C toasted pecans

Line cookie sheet with graham crackers. Melt butter over medium heat and add brown sugar. Bring to rolling boil and cook for 2 minutes without stirring. Pour hot mixture over crackers and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with choc chips and toasted pecans. remove from pan and place on cooling rack immediately. Let fully cool before serving.

Raspberry Almond Squares

From NK
Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1/4C sliced almonds
1/2C butter
12oz white chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2C sugar
1C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp almond extract
3/4C raspberry preserves

Grease and flour a 9" square pan. Toast almonds. Melt 1C choc chips and the butter in a pan over low heat, stirring constantly. Set aside.
Beat eggs until foamy, adding sugar gradually. Beat at high speed until mixture is lemon colored. Stir into melted chocolate mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract - mix on low speed. Spread 1/2 the batter into pan and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and add remaining chocolate chips to top. Melt jam and spread on crust. Add remaining batter and almonds. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

NO-Knead Bread

3C flour
1/4tsp instant yeast
1 1/4tsp salt
1 5/8C tepid water*
cornmeal for dusting

Combine flour, yeast and salt in bowl. Add water. Use your hands to mix ingredients. Dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 12 hours, up to 18 hours at room temperature. Dough is ready when surface is dotted with bubbles. Flour a work surface and place dough on it. Fold dough over on itself once or twice. Recover with the plastic and let rest for 15 minutes. Coat ball of dough with cornmeal, cover and let rise for about 2 hours. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place dutch oven in oven while preheating. Carefully place dough in Dutch oven and bake covered at 450 degrees for 24 minutes (this is the perfect time in my oven). Uncover and bake for an additional 4 minutes. Loosen edges with butter knife and place on cooking rack immediately.

To add dry ingredients (herbs, nuts, dried fruit etc), do so in the first step with flour, yeast and salt. To add perishable ingredients (cheeses etc), add when folding dough, being careful to not overwork dough.

My fav: Asiago (1/2C) and black pepper
Others: Herb
Parmesan herb
Walnut, dried cranberry and dried apricot (my sister's fav)
Cheddar cheese (add 1/3C cheddar cheese powder (in bulk spice section) and fresh grated cheddar cheese (Keith's fav)
Cinnamon brown sugar (2tsp cinnamon, 1T brown sugar) -makes the BEST french toast!

Margarita Chicken Enchiladas with Cilantro Lime Rice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

3-4 chicken breasts
1/2C Tequila
1/2 C margarita mix
grated peel of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1/2tsp salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 container sour cream
2-3T capers
1/4 small onion, finely diced
1 jar green tomatillo salsa (the best is the Chavies brand in the cold case, or the Frontera grill tomatillo and green olive salsa)
8oz Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
4 oz manchego or other white Mexican cheese
1/2 can green chilies (optional)
Lime wedges
1pkg of 10 tortillas

CILANTRO LIME RICE

5-6C cooked basmati rice
juice of 1 Lime
2-3T cilantro, finely chopped
1/2tsp salt - add more to taste


Dice chicken and marinate in tequila, margarita mix, salt, lime peel and lime juice. Cover and place in refrigerator. The longer you marinate it, the better it is!
Saute chicken in the marinade. Combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, capers, onion, 1/2 jar salsa, chilies and salt. Add cooked chicken and mix well. Spoon mixture into tortilla shells. Add cheese and roll. Place in large baking dish. When all tortillas are filled and in pan, pour remaining salsa over tortillas and top with Manchego cheese. Make sure all of the tortillas are covered, otherwise they will have burnt edges. If some edges are exposed, spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

RICE: Immediately after cooking rice, drain and add lime juice, cilantro and salt. Stir well.

Serve enchiladas over a bed of cilantro lime rice. Just before serving, squeeze lime wedge over each serving. Enjoy with a cold margarita!

Spagetti Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1lb spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
1pkg pizza dough (I get mine in the cold section at Trader Joe's)
1lb hamburger, browned
1 small onion, diced and sauteed
1pkg baby portabella mushrooms
2T basil, minced
1/4C green olives
1/4C black olives
1/2 cup white wine
2T olive oil
1tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 1/2 jars marinara sauce
1 can tomato paste
8oz mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Spray medium casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Flour work surface and roll out 3/4 of the dough. place in baking dish and bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
Saute mushrooms, onion and olives in white wine, olive oil, garlic and salt. Add to browned hamburger. In separate bowl, mix 1 jar marinara sauce, tomato paste, 2 eggs, basil, mozzarella cheese and 1/4C Parmesan cheese. Add meat mixture to sauce, then toss with spaghetti and heat on stove. Pour spaghetti mixture into baked pizza crust. Roll out remaining crust and place over casserole dish, pinching sides. Brush with egg yolk. Bake at 350 degrees until crust is golden.
Heat 1/2 jar marinara in microwave. Cut spaghetti pie place on plate. Top with marinara and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Oriental Chicken Pasta Salad

From Marshall Fields MarketPlace

1 package long fusilli pasta (or any large pasta), cooked
2C cooked chicken breast
2C pea pods, sliced diagonally
4 green onions, sliced
1 1/2C baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 package fried wonton crisps
1C mandarin oranges
3T toasted sesame seeds

DRESSING
1 egg yolk
1/4C sugar
1/4C soy sauce
1/4C Rice white vinegar
1/4tsp white pepper
2T sesame oil
1C vegetable oil

Whisk or blend dressing (should be thick). Toss with salad fixings, except for the wonton crisps. Chill for 1-4 hours in fridge. Just before serving, top with wonton crisps.
**Wonton crisps are next to the crunchy Chinese noodles in the Asian section at the grocery store.

Cold Lemon Chicken Salad

From TN's mom

6-8 Chicken breasts, grilled, sliced then chilled
1 red bell pepper, cleaned and sliced
1 green bell pepper, cleaned and sliced
2 C snow pea pods, halved
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4C olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine chicken and veggies. Toss with dressing and Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Veggie Salad

From TN and KJ

1/2 head broccoli, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
2 C pea pods, halved
1 pkg grape tomatoes, halved
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 cuke, sliced
5 sliced provolone cheese, halved and julienned
1/4 lb deli salami, julienned
1/2 pkt dry Italian dressing mix
3/4-1 bottle Newman's Light Italian Dressing

Whisk dressing and dry dressing mix together, toss with veggies, cheese and salami. Chill and serve. Can substitute grilled chicken for salami.

Greek Summer Salad

1 large container grape tomatoes, halved
1 container or 1/2 C Feta cheese
2 large or 6 mini cucumbers, sliced and halved
1/2 small purple onion, minced
2T lemon juice
1 C Greek dressing (bottled)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything and refrigerate for 1/2-1 hour. Serve cold. Excellent side to grilled chicken (marinated in 1/3C olive oil, 1T oregano, 3T lemon juice and salt and pepper).

Fruited Chicken Wild Rice Salad

1 package chicken, cooked and shredded, or 1 rotisserie chicken (preferred)
2-3C wild rice, cooked and cooled
1 apple, chopped
2 carrots, shredded (use cheese grater)
3 ribs celery, chopped
2T chives, diced
2C grapes, halved
1 small container mandarin oranges
1C REAL mayo
3/4C sour cream
3/4 C Poppy seed dressing
1T Dijon mustard
2tsp salt
1tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients and chill. You may need to add more mayo or poppy seed dressing to accommodate for amount of chicken used.
Serve on croissants.