Raspberry Linzer Tarts

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cup ground almonds
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Beat in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time.  Then beat in the almonds and cinnamon until it becomes a stiff dough.

Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll 1/2 of the dough into a sheet that is 1/8 inch thick.  With a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can.  Knead the leftover scraps and roll out again.  Cut more circles until the 1/2 of dough is finished.

Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the other half of dough but cut the center out with a 1/2 inch cookie cutter.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Cool for at least 20 minutes.

Spread the flat side of the solid circles with raspberry jam and lay the cutout cookie over the top and slightly press down.  Serve and enjoy!

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups blackberry jam

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Cream together butter, peanut butter, white and brown sugars.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir dry mixture into butter mixture in 3 stages, mixing between each one.  Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1 minute.  Using a melon baller or a teaspoon, place an indentation in the middle of each cookie.  Fill it with 1 teaspoon of blackberry jam.  Bake for another 5-7 minutes or until cookies brown and jam sets.

Serve and enjoy!

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Baked Eggs over Potatoes

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1 russet potato
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
salt
pepper
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 of an avocado

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean the skin of each potato and dice into small cubes.  Place the olive oil in a ramekin or small baking dish.   Put the diced potato on top and toss in the olive oil.  Sprinkle liberally with salt.  Toss in the rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Once potatoes are cooked, take them out of the oven and sprinkle with cheese.  Crack an egg into another small bowl.  Gently pour the egg over the cheese and potato mixture so that is lands in the center.

Put back in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until egg sets.

Dice the quarter of the avocado into cubes.  Toss on top of the egg.  Serve and enjoy!

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Braised Beef Tacos

Ingredients:
Beef:
2 lb top round steak
1 packet taco seasoning
1 quart beef stock
2 cups water
1 jalapeno pepper

Corn Salsa:
2 cups frozen corn
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup diced red onion
1 garlic clove
1 lime

Roasted Poblanos:
2 poblano peppers
1 large onion

Assembly:
corn tortillas
monterey jack cheese
guacamole
sour cream

Directions:
Heat a large pot on high heat with a tablespoon of oil in the bottom. Salt the beef on all sides and brown in the pan on all sides.  About 2-3 minutes a side.  Once browned, pour the beef stock, water, and taco seasoning into the pot.  Half the jalapeno and put into the pot.  Remove seeds and membrane for less spicy beef.  Cover and put on low heat for 3-3 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.

To make the corn salsa, half the jalapeno pepper, remove the seeds and finely dice.  In a skillet, saute the corn, jalapeno peppers, red onion, and chopped garlic clove until brown.  Once browned, pour the juice of one lime over the salsa and stir.

Cut open the poblano peppers and remove the seeds.  Slice into thin strips.  Slice the onion into thin strips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and roast the peppers and onions together for 15 minutes.

Once beef is tender, shred on a cutting board and place back into the pot.  Allow to cook with the lid off for another 15-20 minutes.

Now you can assemble the tacos.  I start with a corn tortilla and top it with cheese.  I like to microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese and soften the tortilla.

Top with your braised beef, corn salsa, peppers and onions, guacamole, and sour cream.  Serve and enjoy!

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Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 water
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and whip until combined.  Mix together the water and molasses in a separate bowl.

Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, and salt until everything is evenly distributed.

Alternately pour in the molasses mixture with the flour mixture into the creamed mixture beating after every addition.

Line a 13 x 9 in baking dish with oven safe parchment paper and then spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.  Evenly spread the batter into the pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 2 minutes and then remove the entire parchment paper from the pan and place on a very clean kitchen towel.  Put another layer of parchment paper on top.  Roll from the short end to the other short end, wrapping the kitchen towel in every time you turn.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

While chilling, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until very creamy.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar until a smooth frosting forms.  Leave out at room temperature while the cake cools so it is very easy to spread.

Once the cake is chilled, gently unroll it and quickly fill with the cream cheese frosting.  Roll back up very tight with a towel around the entire thing.  Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.

You can chill the frosting now, but take it out of the refrigerator for a half hour before frosting the entire cake.

Once you are ready to frost the whole cake, take it out of the towel and place on your serving dish.  Frost the entire thing with the cream cheese frosting and allow to chill for another few hours.  I decorated mine with a leaf stencil and some cocoa powder.  I also put a few mint leaves with a cherry to look like holly leaves.

Serve and enjoy!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Frosting:
1 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter
1/4 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.  The recipe should be enough for 16 cupcakes.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric ixer.  Add one egg at a time and beat well after each egg.  Stir in the vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and beat in between each addition.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-17 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Then beat in the peanut butter and slowly add in the milk until thick and creamy.  I put mine into a plastic bag so that I could pipe it on by cutting the corner of the bag.

Once cupcakes are out of the oven, allow them to cool for at least a half hour.  Once cool either pipe or frost each cupcake with the frosting.  Serve and enjoy!

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Microwaveable Mug Brownie

If you do not want to eat a warm brownie at least once a day do not read this recipe!!!!!  It literally takes 1 minute to mix together, 1 minute to cook and is probably the best brownie I have ever tasted.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsweeted cocoa powder
pinch of salt

Directions:
Mix together all of the ingredients in a coffee mug.  Stir completely so that nothing is stuck to the bottom.  Microwave for 1 minute in the microwave.  EAT!

I swear it is that easy and absolutely unbelieveable!!!  This is the kind of recipe a college student creates the week of finals! After you make it once you will want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

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