Meatza Pizza

Andy contributed the title of this post. Inspiration for dinner last night came from November's make-your-own-pizza party. It was just Andy and I though, so I rolled the Publix pizza dough into a large pie and then spread the dough with sun-dried tomato pesto (yummy!) instead of tomato sauce. It baked at 450° for about 10 minutes. In the mean time, I cut up 5 bacon slices and cooked them until crisp. I also used my mandolin to thinly slice a semi-frozen (key for using the mandolin) link of Whole Foods Italian turkey sausage, which I threw in the skillet with the bacon pieces. After the crust came out of the oven, the meat was sprinkled over the pesto, and then the whole thing was topped with provolone cheese slices (maximum cheese coverage). The pizza baked at 400° for 15 minutes. I served it with Baby Blue Salad.

Citrus Bars

I have a lot of oranges because they are in season, so I decided to make these buttery bars that taste like sunshine. If you like lemon bars, you'll love these. The orange juice gives them a sweeter flavor.

Citrus Bars
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
Juice from 2 lemons
1 tsp. orange zest
Juice from 3 oranges
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add 2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Beat until mixture forms a smooth dough. Press mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. (I lined mine with parchment paper and then sprayed it with cooking spray. This allows me to lift out the bars and cut them into individual servings on the cutting board.)
2. Bake at 350° for 29 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup flour, granulated sugar, and remaining ingredients; pour over baked crust.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until set.

Mac and Cheese

This recipe is based on one from Barefoot Contessa. My niece Anna Claire told me that "it's the best I've ever had." She was quoting a movie, but I took it as a compliment. A food processor makes fast work of shredding the mountain of cheese.

Mac and Cheese
1 (16-oz.) box corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart milk (Tonight I used 3 cups skim milk combined with 1 cup heavy whipping cream.)
Salt and pepper
8 oz. Gouda, shredded
10 oz. white Cheddar cheese, shredded (I use Cracker Barrel brand.)
4 sourdough bread slices, processed into breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large Dutch oven. Gradually sprinkle in flour, and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring until mixture thickens. Stir in salt and pepper. Gradually stir in cheeses. Pour in pasta, and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Combine breadcrumbs and melted 2 Tbsp. butter. Sprinkle over top of pasta mixture.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Meat Loaf

Yes, you read the title correctly. I never liked meat loaf until I tried a recipe for it from Cooking Light a few years ago. It won me over to this comfort food classic. Since then, I've developed my own version. So even if you think you don't like it, you need to try this recipe. I served this with mac and cheese and green beans.

Meat Loaf
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. ground round
1 1/2 lb. ground pork
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt
Pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Ketchup

1. Sauté onion and, if desired, celery in hot oil until softened. Add in garlic, and sauté 1 minute.
2. Combine ground beef and pork in a large bowl. (I use clean hands.) Mix in sautéed onion mixture, Dijon mustard, and next 8 ingredients. Shape mixture into a oval loaf. Spread a thin layer of ketchup over top of meat loaf. Place on a lightly greased rack in a broiler pan.
3. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Snickers Cookies

Sounds yummy, right? I found the recipe on cookiemadness.net and loved the ingredients list: butter, peanut butter, honey, miniature Snickers bars. However, the texture and flavor of the dough is lacking. I'm posting the original recipe here, but next time I'll omit the honey (you can't taste it) and use more sugar and butter. I'll also increase the amount of peanut butter and add in vanilla extract. The concept is good, but it needs some refining.

Snickers Cookies
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. milk
24 miniature Snickers bars

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter and peanut butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat in honey and milk until well combined. Mold roughly 1 tablespoon of dough around candy, and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
2. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

Makes 24

Sugar-and-Spice Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my family's Christmas celebration. My cousin Jon was a big fan! This is the cover recipe for the December issue of Southern Living. The original, which starts with a cake mix, is for a two-layer cake, but I only make cupcakes. The frosting yield is too much for 24 cupcakes; I froze the remainder and will let you know if that works (it may affect the texture). *Freezing the frosting worked well. I thawed it for 24 hours in the refrigerator and stirred it really well before spreading on the cupcakes.*

Baby Blue Salad

I've mentioned this salad before, but I wanted to remind you about it. It's great to serve company or for a weeknight supper. The recipe is available on myrecipes.com. When I make it, I use a mixture of romaine and Boston lettuces and baby spinach instead of the spring mix it calls for. I also usually substitute canned mandarin oranges, drained, for the sectioned oranges. The pecans are a tasty snack, so I often make a double batch. For a cool summer meal, the salad tastes great topped with grilled chicken. When I serve it to groups, I keep all the components separate because some folks don't care for blue cheese. The balsamic vinaigrette is the best one I've ever made. I usually keep a jar of it in the fridge during the summer because we eat salad so much.

Crème de Menthe Cake

Sorry, posting on my blog has taken a back seat to Christmas festivities and our family trip to Disney. I'm in the airport now on the way home, so I'm going to back-post some recipes from the week before Christmas. This cake is a favorite of my friend Sallie; I make it for her birthday each year. The credit for the recipe goes to my dear friend Kristin's mom, Dee. It is super easy and tastes like the holidays to me. Enjoy!

Crème de Menthe Cake
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup crème de menthe, divided (You can use green or clear. If I use clear, I put a drop of green food coloring in the whipping cream mixture.)
1 jar hot fudge sauce (ice-cream topping)
1 pint whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, adding 1/4 cup crème de menthe to the batter. Bake in a 13- x 9-inch pan. Cool completely.
2. Microwave hot fudge sauce in jar in microwave at HIGH for 30 to 40 seconds. Pour hot fudge over top of cooled cake, and spread in an even layer.
3. Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer, gradually adding sugar and remaining 1/4 cup crème de menthe. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over top of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thai Chicken Noodle Bowl

For this dish, I combined the high points of two recipes: a Thai chicken casserole from Everyday Food and a Thai chicken soup from Cooking Light. Because I cooked the chicken breasts in the slow-cooker while I was at work, this recipe came together quickly. (It made a lot of leftovers for the freezer.)

Thai Chicken Noodle Bowl
8 oz. linguine
4 carrots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 broccoli stems, cut into florets
1 tsp. olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
1 can lite coconut milk
2 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 tsp. dried ginger
1 tsp. dried cilantro or 1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lime
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Sauté carrots and next 3 ingredients in hot oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in chicken broth and next 6 ingredients; stir in salt and pepper to taste. Stir in linguine.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This appetizer is one that we used to eat a lot about five years ago, but we haven't had it in a long time. I decided to make it to take to my grannie's for our family Thanksgiving dinner and then for a Christmas card-addressing party (Such a fun idea! Thanks, L!) that I went to last night. I served it with pita chips; bagel chips and tortilla chips also taste great!

Spinach-Artichoke Dip
I almost always grate my own cheese, but this dip works just as well with preshredded cheese.
2 small jars artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 box frozen spinach, thawed, rinsed, and thoroughly drained (This gets out the bitterness that frozen spinach often has.)
1 (8-oz.) box cream cheese
1 (8-oz.) bag shredded Italian cheese blend
1 tsp. minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (4-oz.) bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Combine artichoke hearts, spinach, and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Stir in shredded Italian cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread into a baking dish. (I use a 9-inch pie plate.) Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
2. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese melts and dip is thoroughly warm.

Happy Thanksgiving

Andy and I escaped to the beach for Thanksgiving. It was very relaxing, just what we needed! For our Thanksgiving dinner, we had Filet Mignons With Shallot-Rosemary Cream Sauce, Cornbread Dressing, cranberry sauce, Brussels Sprouts With Lemon and Bacon, and Panettone Bread Puddings With Tipsy Whipped Cream. I decided to have filet because that is Andy's favorite. (We will be have the traditional Thanksgiving dinner at my grannie's on Saturday.)

Filet Mignons With Shallot-Rosemary Cream Sauce
2 filet mignons
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1. Generously sprinkle filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear meat in an oven-safe skillet over high heat 3 minutes on each side. Place skillet in a 450° oven; bake for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness (this is medium). Remove filets to a platter, and keep warm.
2. Melt butter in same skillet in which the steak was cooked. Sauté shallots and garlic in skillet, stirring to loosen particles on bottom of skillet. Stir in cream and rosemary; cook until thoroughly heated. Serve over steak.

Cornbread Dressing
1 1/2 onions, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 (10-inch) pan cornbread, crumbled
4 slices sourdough bread (Use food processor to make breadcrumbs.)
5 Cheesy Bacon Muffins, crumbled
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Sauté onions and celery in hot oil and butter in a large skillet for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Combine crumbled cornbread and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Add in sautéed vegetables, sage, and remaining ingredients. Pour into a butter 9-inch-square baking dish.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Panettone Bread Puddings With Tipsy Whipped Cream
I used eggnog in place of additional eggs because I like firm bread pudding, not spongy.
1 (16-oz.) panettone, cut into cubes
1 cup eggnog
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Zest and juice from 1 orange
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup, but if you want a sweeter dessert, use more sugar.)
Tipsy Whipped Cream

1. Place panettone cubes in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggnog and next 5 ingredients (through brown sugar). Pour eggnog mixture over panettone cubes, stirring until combined. Spoon panettone mixture into lightly greased jumbo muffin cups, filling completely full.
2. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until bread puddings are firm. Serve warm with Tipsy Whipped Cream.

Tipsy Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup brandy

1. Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer, gradually adding in sugar and brandy. Beat until soft peaks form; serve with bread puddings.

Butternut Squash Soup

This was the first time I have ever made this kind of soup. It was very satisfying and made a lot, so there are now a couple of meals in the freezer. My inspiration was a recipe from Jamie Oliver on the Food Network, which I varied a little.




Butternut Squash Soup
4 lb. butternut squash, halved, seeded, and cut into chunks
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 quarts chicken stock (I like College Inn brand.)

1. Place squash on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until softened.
2. Sauté onions and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in a Dutch oven until vegetables are tender. Stir in sage and rosemary. Add in roasted butternut squash and chicken stock. Use an immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Cuban Sandwiches

These sandwiches remind me of the years my family lived in Tampa. There was a hole-in-the-wall Cuban restaurant near our church that had great Cuban sandwiches and black beans and rice. I made these on Friday night with the leftovers from Tuesday's Roasted Pork Tenderloin. The hallmark of these sandwiches is the combination of pork, yellow mustard, and dill pickles. Traditionally ham is also included, but I didn't have any for these.

Cuban Sandwiches
1 loaf ciabatta or Cuban bread
Yellow mustard
Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese, cut into slices
Leftover pork tenderloin, chopped or shredded
Dill pickles (I used dill pickle relish.)

1. Cut bread in half with a serrated knife; scoop out the center of bread, leaving a shell. Spread mustard on cuts sides of bread shell. Layer one side of bread with cheese, pork, and pickles. Top with remaining bread half. Wrap sandwich in foil.
2. Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until sandwich is warm and cheese is melted. Cut sandwich into 4 pieces.

Pumpkin Cookies

I love pumpkin in desserts! However, most recipes call for 1 cup of pumpkin, which is a little more than half a can. What do you do with the other half if you don't need a double recipe? Last week, I made Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake and instead of just throwing away the extra pumpkin (it's a wasteful habit, I know), I put it in the fridge. Tonight I made Pumpkin Cookies, a recipe from my friend Cindy, and they are as good as always, even with an ounce less pumpkin. This dough is very soft, but they don't spread; the cookie texture is very tender, almost like a soft biscuit. The frosting is supposed to be cooked, but I didn't want to wash another pan tonight, so I figured out a way to make it in the microwave.

Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Brown Sugar Frosting

1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in pumpkin (mixture will look slightly curdled); beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
3. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes. Cool on pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks, and spread Brown Sugar Frosting over tops of warm cookies.

Brown Sugar Frosting
This would be tasty as a glaze for pound cake; just use less powdered sugar.
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter
4 tsp. cream or milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine brown sugar and next 2 ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir mixture; microwave for 45 more seconds or until brown sugar is dissolved. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Use immediately.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Applesauce

On Saturday I saw Anne Burrell, a chef on the Food Network, make this meal; she used a six-rib pork roast, which is much more elaborate than a pork tenderloin (what I used). I am not a fan of the flavor of pork, so I marinated the tenderloin (or tender-lone as my granny used to say) in apple cider, fennel seeds, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper all day in the fridge. This helped to tame the pork-y flavor and made the meat super tender. My father-in-law spends most Tuesday nights with us, and this combination of flavors is right up his alley, so I thought it would be a good choice to serve him. Also, last Tuesday we had what my friend Julie calls "Grab and Growl" (leftovers), and he was trooper. Tonight we had the pork tenderloin, Potato Gratin, and Slow-Cooker Green Beans. This may seem too fancy for a weeknight, but we ate one hour after I started cooking. (I made the green beans on Sunday and refrigerated them so I could serve them throughout the week.)

Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Applesauce
1 (1.5-lb.) pork tenderloin (there are actually two in the package; I used both)
1 gallon apple cider, divided
Fennel seeds
Dried thyme
Dried sage
Salt and pepper
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 fresh sage sprigs
2 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt
1 red onion, sliced
Applesauce

1. Place pork, apple cider to cover, and next 5 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal and chill 8 hours.
2. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade.(Optional: At this point, I used kitchen twine to tie the 2 pieces of pork together for more even cooking.) Sprinkle pork with pepper.
3. Coarsely chop rosemary and next 2 ingredients in a food processor. Add in salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Spread paste over pork.
4. Place onion slices in bottom of a roasting pan; drizzle with olive oil. Place pork on top of onions. Pour in about 1 1/2 qt. apple cider.
5. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 150°. Let pork stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with Applesauce.

Applesauce
3 Tbsp. butter
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped (I didn't peel them.)
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Cook apples in melted butter, stirring occasionally. Once apples become tender, stir in apple cider. Cook until apples are very tender and look like chunky apple sauce. Stir in cream and walnuts; cook until thoroughly heated.

Potatoes Gratin
5 potatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups whipping cream
1 container garlic-herb cheese
2 shallots, minced
Salt and pepper

1. Layer potatoes in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle shallots on top; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Combine cream and cheese in a large microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute, stirring until mixture is blended. Microwave at HIGH 45 more seconds. Pour mixture over potatoes.
3. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

This is an unbeatable combination! (Can you tell the cold weather influenced my grocery shopping? Lots of soups!) Homemade Tomato Soup is so easy and it's much tastier than the canned variety. These grilled cheeses have another layer of flavor from pesto that was left over from Friday's make-your-own pizza party. Enjoy!

Tomato Soup
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large cans whole tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into strips (also a leftover from Friday night)
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup milk or cream (optional)

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until onion is tender. Add in tomatoes and next 7 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree tomato mixture until desired consistency. (If you don't have one of these, you can either use diced canned tomatoes or pour the mixture in a food processor.) Stir in milk, if desired.

Pesto Grilled Cheeses
Sourdough bread slices
Melted butter
Basil pesto
Provolone cheese slices
Sliced plum tomatoes

1. Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter on both sides of each bread slice. Place bread on grill pan, and cook until golden brown. Remove bread from pan. Spread pesto on grilled sides of bread; layer half of bread slices, grilled side up, with provolone cheese and slice tomatoes (it works best if you have cheese on top and bottom of tomatoes). Top with remaining bread slices, grilled sides down. Place sandwiches on grill pan, and cook on both sides until golden brown.

Soup for Sunday Lunch

After church, some friends came over for lunch. I made super-easy Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. (Note: This is a Southern Living recipe that hasn't been published yet; I can't post it but will be happy to verbally share it.) It has a great flavor and is made completely from convenience products. I combined the ingredients last night and refrigerated them; then I poured the mixture into the slow-cooker, and set it on WARM while we were at church. The soup was just right! (You can use a rotisserie chicken or roast your own; either method works well.) We also had Cheese Muffins (a variation of Cheesy Sausage Muffins, minus the sausage) and Apple Streusel. I made up the recipe for dessert on the spot because I hadn't prepared anything and wanted to serve one. Very simple!

Apple Streusel
4 apples, cored and chopped
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 orange
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Combine apples and next 2 ingredients in a bowl. Pour mixture into a baking dish.
2. Stir together oatmeal and next 4 ingredients; sprinkle mixture over apples.
3. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

French Onion Soup

I forgot to take a photo of our dinner tonight, but this soup is very gray, so it's probably for the best. However this is a great meal on a cold night. You have to chop a lot of onions, but the flavor makes it totally worth it.

French Onion Soup
1/2 cup butter
4 onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 (32-oz.) boxes beef stock
Baguette slices
Freshed grated Jarlsberg or Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add in onions and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat 25 minutes or until onions are very tender. Stir in wine, and cook 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until flour is absorbed. Gradually stir in beef stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes or until soup is slightly thickened.
2. Sprinkle baguette slices with grated cheese. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into serving bowls, and top with bread slices.

Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes

For breakfast we had yummy apple pancakes. My mom brought me some apples from an orchard near my brother's house a couple of weeks ago. I still had one left, so I thought it would be tasty in pancakes. In the photo, you'll see one of my favorite kitchen tools: my double-burner grill pan. It's great for cooking a lot of chicken at once, grilled sandwiches, and making pancakes. A. gave it to me for Christmas a couple of years ago; it's one of the best gifts ever! We had bacon, of course, with our pancakes.

Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes
Double this recipe to serve 4 to 5 adults.
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 apple, cored and chopped
Maple syrup

1. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Combine buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Carefully stir in chopped apple.
2. Use a 1/4-cup measure to place batter on a hot grill pan or skillet. Cook until bubbles cover surface of pancakes; flip and cook until pancakes are done. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Make-Your-Own Pizzas

Some friends came over for dinner tonight. It was actually their son's birthday, so I wanted to have a very kid-friendly meal. (LS and L are the cute models in the photos.) The idea was to create personal pizzas. I bought pizza dough from the bakery at Publix (one round, which makes 2 (8-inch) pizzas cost about $2.50). Their dough is very tasty and it saves you rising time with homemade. Just ask for it at the bakery counter. We had a lot of topping options: roasted chicken, bacon, turkey Italian sausage, pesto, tomato sauce, fresh spinach, fresh basil, chopped tomatoes, provolone slices, shredded mozzarella, and fresh mozzarella. Everyone topped his or her dough circle with the desired toppings; the pizzas baked at 450° for 20 minutes. While we waited for the pizzas, we snacked on Layered Mexican Dip and Homemade Tortilla Chips. For dessert, we had Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookie (substitute chocolate chips for the golden raisins) Ice-Cream Sandwiches. This is a great party idea that I'll definitely use again.

Layered Mexican Dip
The one pictured is missing chopped tomatoes on a portion to accommodate one of our dinner guests.
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 (16-oz.) container sour cream
1 package reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 (8-oz.) block colby-Jack cheese, shredded
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1. Spread refried beans in an even layer on the bottom of a serving plate. Stir taco seasoning mix into container of sour cream until well blended. Spread over beans. Sprinkle cheese on top of sour cream mixture, and top with chopped tomatoes.

Weeknight Cupcakes

Tonight we wanted a sweet treat but weren't in the mood for my baking standard, cookies. I used a Devil's food cake mix as the base for Orange Liqueur-Chocolate Cupcakes. They are a snap to make and the liqueur really elevates the basic mix. Homemade cream cheese frosting is the perfect topper.

Orange Liqueur-Chocolate Cupcakes
1 box Devil's food cake mix
1/4 cup orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier.)
Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Stir in orange liqueur. Scoop batter into muffin cup liners in 2 muffin pans.
2. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until cupcakes are done. Let cupcakes cool completely. Spread a generous amount of frosting on each cupcake.

Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1 (16-oz.) box powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until blended. Beat in orange zest and liqueur. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until blended.

Crawfish Fettuccine

This is a slight variation from my friend Dawn's recipe; the changes came about because I didn't have all of the necessary ingredients. I also only used 1 pound of crawfish tails instead of 2 pounds. Her original, Creamy Crawfish Pasta, appeared in the December 2003 issue of Southern Living; find it on myrecipes.com. This decadent pasta dish appears to be fancy and complicated, but it's actually very simple and will be on the table in 30 minutes or less. (Shrimp would be a good substitute for the crawfish.)

Crawfish Fettuccine
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint whipping cream or half-and-half (I wouldn't substitute fat-free half-and-half.)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (1-lb.) package frozen crawfish tails, thawed, rinsed, and thoroughly drained
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. dried parsley (Fresh chopped parsley would be a nice addition.)
8 oz. fettuccine or linguine, cooked

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven; stir in flour, and cook until butter and flour are combined. Add in onion and next 3 ingredients; cook until vegetables are tender. Stir in cream and next 3 ingredients. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir in pasta.

Chicken Enchiladas With Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

On Friday, we had some friends over for dinner. I made some Mexican classics that were based on recipes from Tyler Florence, but I gave them my own twists. The chicken breasts for the enchiladas cooked in the slow-cooker while I was at work. I used 1 cup of orange juice, salt, pepper, dried cilantro, and 1/2 cup butter with the six chicken breasts (I doubled the original recipe). Chicken Enchiladas, Yellow Rice, Black Beans, and Guacamole were served with Homemade Tortilla Chips.

Chicken Enchiladas
Olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1.5 pounds chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
10 flour tortillas
1 (8-oz.) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Vegetable cooking spray
2 cups sour cream
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in cumin and flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Stir in half of tomatillo salsa, cilantro, and chicken; season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pour a small amount of tomatillo salsa into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon chicken mixture into center of each tortilla; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Roll up tortillas, and place, seam side down, in baking dish. Spread sour cream over top of enchiladas; top with remaining tomatillo salsa.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve with additional sour cream.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
1 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lime

1. Place tomatillos and next 3 ingredients on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes.
3. Place tomatillo mixture and pan juices in food processor bowl; pulse until mixture is pureed. Pour into a bowl, and stir in cumin and remaining ingredients.

Yellow Rice
2 cups rice
4 cups water or chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Black Beans
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
1/2 cup orange juice

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil; reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.

Guacamole
2 avocados, peeled
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Turkey Focaccia Sandwich

This sandwich is super easy and super quick. Feel free to vary the types of meat and cheese as well as the pesto. Tonight I layered on a sliced yellow tomato, but roasted red pepper strips would also be tasty. I served the sandwich with Potato Chips With Garlic-Herb Cheese. I bought the focaccia at The Continental Bakery, which had it as the bread of the day this past Saturday.

Turkey Focaccia Sandwich
1 (9-inch) round focaccia
Sun-dried tomato pesto
1/2 lb. sliced turkey
1/4 lb. sliced fontina cheese
1 tomato, sliced
5 bacon slices, cooked (optional)

1. Cut focaccia in half with a serrated knife. Spread pesto on cut sides of bread. Layer turkey, cheese, tomato, and, if desired, bacon on one bread round. Top with other half, pesto side down.
2. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Cut into quarters.

Oatmeal-Golden Raisin Cookies

A coworker asked me to bake oatmeal-raisin cookies for an election day event at work on Tuesday. I've made oatmeal cookies a million times, and this is the first time I've ever made them with raisins. (I didn't like raisins for most of my life; in college I was known to pick them out of the cookies in the caf.) I like them now, but I prefer the golden ones to the regular purple variety. These cookies are bigger than the ones I normally make; I used my medium-size scoop (about 2 ounces) to shape them.

Oatmeal-Golden Raisin Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box golden raisins

1. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until blended and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until completely blended. Stir in raisins. Scoop dough, using a medium-size scoop, onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350° for 13 to 14 minutes. Cool on pans 10 minutes; remove cookies to baking racks to cool completely.

Chili

Now that's it's November, soups and stews will be a big part of my menus. Chili is one of those recipes that most people make the same way every time. However, I'm always trying new combinations; sometimes I use beef tips instead of ground beef, black beans instead of kidney beans, Texas style with no beans at all. This weekend I made it this way, which is pretty straightforward and tasty.

Chili
2 lb. ground sirloin
1 link Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
2 (14-oz.) cans onion-and-roasted garlic diced tomatoes
2 (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté ground sirloin, sausage, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven until meat is browned and crumbly and onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, 2 cans beans, and remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tomato Sauce With Meatballs

Andy loves Italian food, so tonight I decided to make one of his favorites, Tomato Sauce With Meatballs. I have a thing about spaghetti noodles, so we ate the sauce over rigatoni instead.

Tomato Sauce With Meatballs
1 onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
Salt and black pepper
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Meatballs
Hot cooked pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in desired amount of next 5 ingredients and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes. Break up whole tomatoes with spoon as you stir. Simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Stir in meatballs, and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over hot cooked pasta with grated Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs
1 onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 links Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
Salt and pepper
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil until tender.
2. Combine ground sirloin, sausage, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix in desired amount of next 5 ingredients. Mix in breadcrumbs and egg. Shape mixture into balls, and place meatballs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes until meatballs are done.

Updated Chicken and Rice

This post is about savory comfort food, a nice change after all the sweets I've posted over the past few days (told you I baked a lot on Saturday!). Tonight we had Citrus-Roasted Chicken, Risotto, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon. It might sound more complicated that chicken and rice, but it's not. We were eating within 45 minutes (and most of the pans were washed beforehand).

Citrus-Roasted Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried tarragon
2 Tbsp. butter

1. Place chicken in a baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour orange juice into pan, and sprinkle chicken with sage and next 2 ingredients. Place pats of butter on each chicken breast.
2. Bake at 400° for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done. (Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts.) Cut into slices.

Risotto
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken stock (Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes or until warm.)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan, and sauté onion until tender. Stir in rice, and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in white wine; cook until wine is absorbed. Gradually add in warm chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring regularly until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
Even if you think you don't like Brussels sprouts, you should try them like this. Bacon is a great accompaniment!
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 package Brussels sprouts, cut into halves or quarters (depending on size of sprouts)
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
Pepper to taste

1. Cook bacon and Brussels sprouts in an ovenproof skillet until bacon is almost crisp. Stir in lemon zest and juice; sprinkle with pepper to taste.
2. Bake at 400° for 20 to 30 minutes or until Brussels sprouts are tender.

Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake

This is probably one of my most requested desserts. Cheesecake is very easy to make (much more so than a layer cake), but it is very impressive to most folks. Once you make one, however, you'll see what a cinch it is. This is a particularly good one because the chocolate ganache covers the cracks that inevitably form in the top.

Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake
20 Oreos, crushed (I use my food processor.)
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened (I use two regular and two reduced-fat.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
14 Oreos, crushed
1/3 cup whipping cream

1. Combine 20 crushed Oreos and melted butter. Press into bottom and a little bit up the sides of a springform pan.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until blended and creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, 1 cup chocolate chips, and 14 crushed Oreos. Pour into prepared crust.
3. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake stand in oven, with door partially open, for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely. Chill cheesecake 8 hours. Release sides of pan.
4. Microwave remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips and whipping cream at HIGH for 1 minute or until chocolate chips are melted. Stir to combine. Spread ganache over top of cheesecake.

Cinnamon-Apple Cake

This is an old Cooking Light recipe that I periodically remember. I use more cream cheese than the original calls for and it's great served with a homemade caramel sauce.

Cinnamon-Apple Cake
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 peeled and chopped Rome apples
Vegetable cooking spray
Caramel Sauce

1. Beat sugar and next 2 ingredients until blended and creamy. Mix in vanilla and eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating until blended. Stir in apples. Pour batter into a springform pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until done. Let cool for 30 minutes in pan; release and remove sides of pan, and cool completely. Serve with Caramel Sauce, if desired.

White Chocolate-Cherry Bars

I used the recipe for Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies as the base. The chocolate chips and toffee chips were replaced with 1 package white chocolate chips and 1 package dried cherries. Yummy!

Cranberry-Orange Muffins

These muffins were inspired by a recipe for cranberry bread in the November issue of Everyday Food. The orange zest is my addition; it's a perfect partner for the tart cranberries. After I made the muffins, I decided some Orange Buttercream would be the perfect topper. This is a keeper!

Cranberry-Orange Muffins
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. orange zest
1 bag fresh cranberries
Orange Buttercream (optional)

1. Stir together all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased muffin cups.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until done. Cool in muffin cups 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely. Top with Orange Buttercream, if desired.

Orange Buttercream
1/4 cup butter, softened
8 oz. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice

Mix together all ingredients until spreading consistency.

Persimmon Cakes

This has been a tough week at work, and my response to stress is to bake, so that's what I did all afternoon. I made Persimmon Cakes, Cranberry-Orange Muffins, Cinnamon Apple Cake, White Chocolate-Cherry Bars, and Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake. I'll post the new recipes over the next few days. The Persimmon Cakes came about because last weekend my sister and her family picked persimmons at a local garden center. She gave me a bagful, and I had to find something to do with them.

Persimmon Cakes
I made these in pumpkin-shaped mini Bundt pans. A muffin pan or round cake pan would also work.
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3 cups diced persimmons
Vegetable cooking spray

1. Beat sugar and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Gradually add to cream cheese mixture, beating until blended.
3. Stir in persimmons. Pour batter into pan coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until done. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove cakes from pans,a nd let cool completely.

Brisket Quesadillas

Leftovers as leftovers are unappealing to me. Therefore whenever we have them (which is often), I try to reinvent them a little. Tonight I used what was left of Saturday's Beef Brisket to make quesadillas. Very simple and tasty! Just place leftover brisket and a handful of shredded cheese (Colby-Jack tonight) on a flour tortilla. Top with another tortilla. Place on a hot grill pan or skillet; cook until bottom is crispy and cheese begins to melt. Flip quesadilla to cook the other side. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Mini Plum-Raspberry Upside-Down Cakes

I love to make single-serving desserts. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm cooking for just two and that I don't like having partial-cut cakes on my countertop (there's just not enough room). Here's my latest endeavor from Saturday night. These cakes are based on a 2001 recipe from Martha Stewart Living. It would also be tasty with apples or pears and cranberries, I think. Maybe I'll try that at Thanksgiving. (The pan I used is a jumbo muffin pan that has six muffin cups.)

Mini Plum-Raspberry Upside-Down Cakes

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
Brown sugar
3 plums, halved and pitted
1/2 pint raspberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Melt 1/4 cup butter. Evenly pour butter in lightly greased jumbo muffin cups. Sprinkle 1 to 2 Tbsp. brown sugar over butter. Place 1 plum half, cut side down, in center of each muffin cup. Arrange about 6 raspberries around outside of each plum half.
2. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended. Beat in sour cream; then add in remaining flour mixture. (Note: Batter will be very thick.) Spread batter evenly over plums in muffin cups.
4. Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake is done. Use a fork to carefully remove cakes from pan. Place on individual serving dishes, plum sides up. Serve warm.

Beef Brisket and Latkes

The cool fall air made me crave something hearty for dinner tonight. My inspiration was some of the traditional dishes served at Hanukkah celebrations: beef brisket and latkes (potato pancakes). Andy grew up eating brisket, so he was glad. Earlier this year, I made my first brisket and have tried a few recipes; I'll definitely make this again. The longer you cook brisket, the better it is. A few years ago at Christmas, my father-in-law and I made latkes, and I've been a fan ever since. What's not to like? For a side dish, we had roasted asparagus. Mom, Mel, Russ, and the girls came over, which means we laughed a lot. Good food, great company, and beautiful fall weather—the recipe for an enjoyable evening. (Because Mel doesn't eat beef, I cooked a chicken breast for her with the brisket.)

Beef Brisket
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (2.5-lb.) beef brisket (Mine cost about $13 at the grocery store.)
Salt and pepper
4 large carrots, cut in chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in chunks
2 red onions, cut in chunks
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 rosemary springs, leaves removed and chopped
2 bay leaves

1. Brown brisket in hot oil on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Line a 13- x 9-inch pan or roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place vegetables in pan. Top with browned brisket. Pour red wine and tomatoes over top. Add in parsley and remaining ingredients. Cover with foil.
3. Bake at 400° for 2 1/2 hours or until meat is done. Remove from oven, and let stand for 15 minutes. Cut into thin slices. (I used my very handy electric knife.) Strain tomato mixture to serve as gravy. Serve sliced brisket with roasted vegetables and tomato gravy, if desired.

Latkes
The most important thing when making latkes is to make sure you squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the shredded potato and onion mixture. They stick together better when they are pretty dry.
4 russet potatoes, peeled
2 medium-size sweet onions
1/4 cup chopped chives
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
Sour cream

1. Grate potatoes and onions with food processor (a box grater will also work). Place shredded potato-and-onion mixture in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze to remove all moisture (this takes muscle). Place in a large bowl. Stir in chives, eggs, and salt and pepper.
2. Pour 1 inch of oil into a Dutch oven. When oil is hot, drop potato mixture in small balls into oil. Cook until golden on one side, flattening with a spatula. Turn and cook until the other side is golden. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve warm with sour cream.

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Bars

Things are pretty hectic at work right now, so my escape is to bake. I decided to vary my Basic Cookie recipe a bit to make it into bars. I reduced the baking powder and added an additional egg so the texture would be more cakelike. All in all, I think they are yummy.

Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Bars
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 package semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 package toffee chips

1. Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until creamy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee chips.
3. Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil; lightly grease foil. Spoon in batter, spreading in an even layer.
4. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until done. Cool and cut into squares.
Note: Any combination of chocolate morsels, nuts, or dried fruit would work in this recipe, as it does for Basic Cookies. For Christmas, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and pistachios make a nice flavor combination.

Chicken Parmesan

I love making meals from the contents of the freezer because it gets dinner on the table fast, fast, fast! Tonight we had Chicken Parmesan With Roasted Tomato Sauce, buttered noodles with parsley, steamed broccoli, and Feta Squares (this recipe is in the November 2008 issue of Southern Living; find it at myrecipes.com) topped with additional tomato sauce. The best thing about this menu is that the oven-fried chicken (I made a large batch the last time I found chicken cutlets on sale) and Roasted Tomato Sauce were in the freezer (I put them in the fridge last night) because I made them several weeks ago. So tonight, I placed the chicken on a baking pan and reheated it at 400° for about 15 minutes; this also helped crisp the breading. The sauce went into a pan to reheat. At the same time, I cooked the ziti and steamed the broccoli in the microwave.

Chicken Parmesan
2 chicken cutlets (If you haven't tried these timesavers, you need to.)
Salt and pepper
Japanese breadcrumbs (These are sold as panko on the International Food aisle of most grocery stores; they are much crispier than regular breadcrumbs.)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 eggs
Cooking spray
Roasted Vegetable Sauce (You can substitute your favorite jar of pasta sauce.)
Grated Parmesan cheese (I combined Parmesan with fontina cheese because I had some. You could also use mozzarella.)
Buttered Pasta

1. Sprinkle cutlets with salt and pepper.
2. Combine panko and next 4 ingredients in a shallow bowl or plate. Light beat eggs in another bowl or plate. Dredge chicken in panko mixture; then dip in egg. Dredge chicken in panko mixture again.
3. Place chicken on a baking sheet, and cook with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done.
5. While chicken is still on baking sheet, top with tomato sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with pasta.

Buttered Pasta
6 oz. ziti
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook and drain ziti. Toss hot pasta with butter; sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

October Girls' Birthday Dinner

This is the month my mother-in-law-, one of our nieces (she's turning 14!), and I were born. To make it more fun, we celebrate with one family party. Tonight we were in Huntsville to celebrate. I made Pork Dumplings, which my sister had requested for her birthday, and Sesame Noodles. My m-o-l and niece made a yummy chocolate pudding-brownie trifle. The original recipe for the dumplings is from Southern Living, but I've evolved it a bit. These take a good amount of time to make but are totally worth it. Trust me! The recipe makes a ton (about 116) and they freeze well. (Don't be turned off by the length of the ingredients list!) Sesame Noodles are a good accompaniment.

Pork Dumplings
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
1 (16-oz.) package sausage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 can water chesnuts, drained and chopped
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. teriyaki sauce
2 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 (16-oz.) package wonton skins (in the produce section of the grocery store near the tofu)
Peanut oil

1. Combine ground pork and next 11 ingredients. (I use my hands to make sure it's well incorporated.) Spoon 1/2 Tbsp. mixture into center of one wonton skin. Bring up the four corners over meat mixture and squeeze closed. Repeat procedure with remaining meat mixture and wonton skins.
2. Pour peanut oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook dumplings, in batches, in hot oil for 8 minutes on one side; turn over dumplings, and cook 8 more minutes or until wonton skin is crispy and meat mixture is done. Drain dumplings on paper towels. Serve warm with chile-garlic sauce.

Sesame Noodles
2 tsp. peanut oil
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 cups broccoli florets
1 lb. vermicelli or spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
1 1/2 balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 2 limes

1. Sauté carrots in hot oil 10 minutes or until carrots begin to caramelize. Add in chopped peppers, and cook 10 more minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté 2 more minutes.
2. Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; add a small amount of water to bowl. Microwave broccoli at HIGH 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Combine hot cooked pasta, broccoli, and carrot mixture in a large bowl. Stir in sesame oil and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.