Chicken with Pesto, Prosciutto, and Mozzarella

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 batch of store bought or home made pesto sauce, for my recipe click here.
4 oz prosciutto
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a large cutting board, slice each chicken breast into 3 separate chicken cutlets lengthwise.  Make sure to use a sharp knife and to make sure the chicken is very dry as to not slip and cut yourself.

Sprinkle each cutlet with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and roll in the majority of the pesto sauce.  I like to reserve a couple tablespoons for topping later on. Now you have a choice of the way to cook these.  You can either put them on a large cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.  Or you can grill them on high heat in a large skillet with oil for 5 minutes on each side.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the prosciutto and mozzarella.  Separate the prosciutto into pieces that will fit right on top of the chicken cutlets.  Thinnly slice the mozzarella and lay on a paper towel to drain any excess liquid.

Once the chicken is complete cooking, transfer to a cookie sheet.  If you baked them on the cookie sheet the chicken can just stay on the sheet.

Lay a piece of prosciutto on each chicken breast.  Then lay a piece of thinnly sliced mozzarella so that it completely covers the prosciutto.  Bake in the oven for another 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.  Serve with extra pesto on the side and enjoy!

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Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:
2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
3 garlic cloves
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into bottom of a glass pan.  Place florets into pan with flowery parts up.  Finely chop the garlic cloves and sprinkle over the broccoli. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the broccoli tops.  Top with the parmesan cheese.  Lightly drizzle the remaining olive oil over the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve and Enjoy!

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Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:
7 medium sized or 4 large russet potatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 slices of bacon
salt
pepper
garlic powder
parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes or until tender.  While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon on a sheet pan for 8 minutes in the oven or until crispy.  Drain the fat and pat with paper towels.  Then chop up into tiny pieces.  Place in a large bowl with the sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Mix together and set aside.

Once the potatoes are out of the oven, allow them to cool until they can be handled.  Slice each in half and scoop out the middle into the mixture in the bowl leaving a 1/2 inch of the potato flesh inside the skin.  Place the empty skins on a baking sheet and sprinkle the inside with a little salt.  Using a fork, mash the potato with the sour cream and cheese mixture and stir together.  Fill each potato with the mixture and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Serve and enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm and enjoy!

 

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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli, cut into flourets
1 cup carrots, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat a large pot on medium, low heat.  Melt the 1 tablespoons of butter.  Toss in the chopped onion and saute. Put in the 1/4 cup butter and melt on low.  Toss in the flour and whisk together until it thickens for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half.  Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrots to the pot. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now.  Keep over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve warm. 

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Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 box caked mix
2 cups miniature marshmallows
Coca Cola (For the cake mix, use the coke to replace the water and oil)

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons Coca Cola

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together the boxed cake mix and the coca cola.  Use how ever much coke as the water and oil would be.  Mine called for 1 1/4 cups of water and 1/2 cup oil so I used 1 3/4 cups coke.  Then stirs in the miniature marshmallows very well.  Make sure they are evenly distributed amongst the cake mix.  Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish and pour the batter in and spread evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. 

While the cake is baking make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, put the box of powdered sugar.  In a saucepan, heat the butter, coke, and cocoa until it boils while you are whisking constantly.  Once it has boiled, pour the mixture over the powdered sugar in the bowl.  Stir with a spatula.  If desired, add the chopped nuts once it has been completely mixed.  Set aside until the cake is done.  Once the cake comes out of the oven, Put dollops of the frosting all over the top of the cake and allow to melt slightly.  Then you can spread it all over the cake.  Make sure it is hot when you do this.  Serve warm and enjoy!

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Sugar Cookies

Cookies:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed)
sprinkles
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

To frost the cookies, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies. Top with sprinkles if desired. Serve and enjoy!

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