Pecan Shortbread

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon water

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add the flour, salt, and powdered sugar to a bowl and stir with a fork. Add in the vanilla, the butter and the 1 teaspoon of water. Using the fork or yours hands, mix the dough together just until a dough is formed. Add the chopped pecans and mix. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long. Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.


Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Arrange on nonstick cookie sheets. Bake until the edges are just light brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Tansfer to wire racks and cool until room temperature. 

In the microwave melt the chocolate chips.  I do about 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Usually it takes 1-1/2 minutes.  Then dip half of the cookie into the chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes just so the chocolate can harden.  Enjoy!

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Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
20 shrimp, cleaned and deveined
juice from half of a lemon
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt
pepper

Directions:
Boil a large pot of water in order to cook the spaghetti. 

In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  While it is heating, chop the garlic cloves very finely.  Then add them to the hot oil and cook for 5 minutes on low heat or until garlic begins to turn slightly brown.

The water should have boiled by now.  Salt the water and toss in the spaghetti.  They will take about 8 minutes to cook. Once the garlic has browned, turn the pan to high heat and pour in the white wine.  Let the wine reduce by half.  One it is reduced, put in the shrimp and cook 2 minutes on each side.  Squeeze in jucie from half of a lemon and stir.  Right before the pasta is done, take 1/4 cup of the water from the pasta pot out and reserve it. 

Drain your pasta and add it to the skillet of shrimp and toss.  Drizzle in a little of the pasta water and continue to toss until a sauce forms.  Then toss in chopped parsley and a little pepper.  Serve and enjoy!

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Cream Puffs

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 stick butter
1 cup water
4 eggs
1 cup flour

Filling:
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding
2 pints heavy whipping cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. 

In a small pot on the stove, boil the water and butter until the butter melts and begins to bubble.  Once it boils, shut off the heat and stir in the 1 cup of flour.  Once it begins to pull away from the sides, add one egg at a time, stirring vigorously in between each egg.  Once the dough has formed, drop tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Then turn the oven down to 350 and bake for another 15 minutes or until brown. 

In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream until peaks begin to form.  Then beat in the two boxes of vanilla pudding until they become fully incorporated. 

Once the cream puffs have completely cooled, cut them in half and stuff the inside with a tablespoon of filling into each one and put the top back on.  Some of the cream puffs I filled with lemon curd instead of the vanilla filling.  Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and enjoy!

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English Muffin Pizzas

Ingredients:
4 English Muffins
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 can tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons pizza seasoning or oregano
salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Split each english muffin in half and toast them in a toaster, toaster oven, or in the regular oven until they are lightly toasted. Each english muffin makes two "pizzas".  Then spread on a few tablespoons of tomato paste on each side of the english muffin. Lay 2 or 3 slices of cheese or a handful of shredded cheese on each side. I used sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, but grated mozzarella is fine too.  Then sprinkle with the pizza seasoning or oregano and a little salt.  Drizzle with a little olive oil.  Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.  Serve and enjoy!

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Goat Cheese and Avocado Burger

Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 lb ground beef
12 oz goat cheese (amount can be varied)
salt
pepper
4 burger buns
1 lemon
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:
Form the ground beef into 4, 1/4 lb burger patties.  In a large grill pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil.  Season each patty with salt and pepper on both sides. Once the pan is hot, drop the patties in.  Don't touch them so you can allow them to get brown on one side.  They should cook about 4-5 minutes minutes on this first side with the heat on high. 

Meanwhile, slice up the avocado.  Push your knife into the side of the avocado so it comes in contact with the pit.  Rotate your knife around to make one line.  Twist the avocado open and remove the pit with a spoon.  Then using a large spoon, scoop it out of the shell in one piece.  Put it on a cutting board and slice it very thinnly.  Then sprinkle with salt and squeeze with a little lemon juice. 

Now you can flip your burger.  Cook them on the other side for another 5 minutes or until they are completely brown.  Once that side is completely done, flip them over again and put however much goat cheese you want on top.  I like a lot of cheese! Then put a lid or tin foil over the burgers to allow the cheese to melt for 2-3 minutes.

While the cheese is melting, get the hamburger buns ready.  Whatever bun you like is perfectly fine.  I lay 2 or 3 pieces of avocado on the bottom bun. 

Once the burgers are done, take them out and put them on top of the avocado.  Then place another 2 or 3 pieces on top of the cheese.

Then put the tops on your burger and serve!

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Mushroom and Onion Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 onion, thinnly sliced,
1 pizza dough, homemade or storebought
8 small mushrooms, cremini or white button, thinnly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup mozzarella chese
1 garlic clove
salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. 

In a large skillet, add the chopped garlic clove and the thinnly sliced onion. Saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with salt about half way through to help pull out the moisture from the onions.  Then toss in the thinnly sliced mushrooms and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms are soft and brown.  Add the balsamic vinegar and stir.

Meanwhile, roll out your pizza dough about 1/8 inch thick.  Put on an oiled baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for about 5 minutes or until it browns.  Then flip the dough over and put in the oven for another 2 minutes.  Take it out of the oven and place the mozzarella cheese on the dough.  Then put the mushroom and onion mixture on top.  Put back in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Cut and enjoy!

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Corn Bread

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups milk

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup frozen corn kernels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar. In a small bowl beat the eggs with the milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt until they are combined. Add the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar mixture alternately with egg and milk mixture.  Gently stir in the corn kernels.

Pour into a greased 13 x 9 in baking pan or a loaf pan. Bake  for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares or slices and serve!

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