Spinach Ricotta Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 pizza dough (homemade or store bought)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Roll dough out extremely thin.  About 1/8 inch thick.  You should almost be able to see through it.  I used a rolling pin and then stretched it further with my hands.

In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil, red pepper flakes, basil, and garlic cloves until the garlic begins to turn brown.  This will take about 5-10 minutes.  Don't let the garlic burn.

Lightly spray a nonstick baking sheet.  Put the dough on the sheet.  Bake the dough in the oven for about 3 minutes or until the top turns golden.  Then flip it over and bake for another 2 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and brushed the crust with the olive oil mixture.  Spread the ricotta cheese over the top and then sprinkle with parmesan.  Return to the oven for about 3 minutes.  Then sprinkle the top with the fresh spinach leaves and bake for another 5 minutes or until spinach begins to wilt.  Cut and enjoy!

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Lasagna

Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb lasagna noodles

5 cups tomato sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 tablespoons parsley

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Once the water has boiled, add salt and the lasagna noodles.  They take about 10-12 minutes to cook.  Stir them every so often so they do not stick together.  Once they are finished cooking, strain in a colander and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Then separate the noodles and lay them over the sides of the colander so they do not get stuck together.  Be careful, steam gets trapped in between the noodles and will release when you separate them. 

I usually make a homemade sauce, but if you want you can use a store bought.  Heat it up for a few minutes in a saucepan beforehand.  In a large bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese.  Then add the egg and parsley.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, pour a little sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Then layer 3 noodles across the bottom of the dish.  Take a few teaspoonfuls on each individual lasagna noodle.  Spread it across so the entire noodle is covered.  Then spoon sauce over the top of the cheese layer.  On the next layer, use 5 noodles and lay them in the opposite direction of the first layer.  You can cut off the extra and use that on future layers.  For the last layer, leave 3 noodles for the top.  Lay them on the previous layer and just pour sauce on top of that without any of the cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with a little bit of parmesan cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40- 45 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Scones

Ingredients:
2 c. unsifted flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. buttermilk or milk
1 lg. egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chip

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Grease baking sheet. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with pastry cutter or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

 

In small bowl combine milk, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Then add in the chocolate chips.  Dough will be sticky and elastic.  Using a large tablespoons, drop spoonfulls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

 

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Carmelized Onion and Bleu Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:
2 large onions
1 garlic clove
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 loaf of italian or french bread
1/2 cup diced pancetta
1/2 slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper
4 ounces bleu cheese

Directions:
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Put the slivered almonds in for about 3 minutes or until they are toasted.  Then remove them and set them aside. 

Cook the pancetta for about 7-8 minutes or until it browns up.  Take the pancetta out with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pan. 

Sprinkle in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.  Then add a chopped garlic clove.  Thinnly slice the two large onions and put into the pan.  Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions turn golden colored.

While the onions carmelize, get the other ingredients ready.  Slice the bread thinnly on an angle and toast in a 350 degree for about 6 minutes.  Keep checking it in intervals of 2 minutes because ovens may vary. 

Now add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and stir.  Add back the pancetta.  Then stir in the chopped parsley. 

Once the bread it toasted, put the bread on a platter.  Then sprinkle with a few bleu cheese crumbles or a very thin slice of bleu cheese.  Top with a little of the onion and pancetta mixture.  Then sprinkle the top with a few toasted almonds.  Enjoy!

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Chocolate Mousse Cake

I made this cake for my mom's birthday and it was such a big hit!

Cake:
Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1-2/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup baking cocoa

1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cups milk

Directions:

Preheath oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating until smooth after each addition.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch round baking pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done.

Chocolate Mousse:
Ingredients:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/3 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. heavy cream

 

Directions:

In saucepan, place chocolate and water. Stir over low heat until blended. Add sugar and salt. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. In a bowl, beat egg yolks; stir in the chocolate mixture (stir constantly). Add vanilla and cool to room temperature. Beat heavy cream in a large bowl. With rubber spatula, fold in chocolate mixture gently. Chill while cake finishes baking.

 

Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

     6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

     6 tablespoons butter

     5 tablespoons evaporated milk

     1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

Once cake has cooled completely, put one layer on a cake plate.  Fill with the chocolate mousse.  Then put the other layer on top and frost with the chocolate frosting. Refrigerate for a half hour.  Enjoy!

 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

a few tablespoons of extra white sugar

48 hersheys kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Then take the balls and roll in the white sugar and put on the tray.  Bake for 10 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, press a chocolate kiss right in the middle.  Enjoy!

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Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Here is a great gift to give to people during the holidays or to serve on your holiday table! It is so easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups white sugar

1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk

10 large marshmallows

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Butter an 8x8 inch dish. Place butter, chocolate chips and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, milk and marshmallows. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and cook 6 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Pour marshmallow mixture over contents of mixing bowl. Beat entire mixture until it thickens and loses its gloss. Quickly fold in nuts and pour into prepared pan. Refrigerate several hours until firm. Cut into squares and enjoy!

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