Thursday, June 21, 2012

Snickerdoodle Bread


Snickerdoodle Bread

Jim's favorite cookie is Snickerdoodles.  It's inevitable that I try every variation related to snickerdoodles for him, including bread!  This was fantastic!  A great breakfast treat or afternoon snack! 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
1 pkg Hershey's cinnamon chips (optional)
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*.  Cream butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon until fluffy.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well.  Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Add to wet ingredients and mix until all combined.  Add cinnamon chips if using.  Spoon batter into 4 mini loaf pans until about 2/3 full.  Mix 3 Tbl. sugar and 3 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over batter in each loaf.  Bake at 350* for 35-38 minutes.  Let cool before removing from pan. 


**Can be made in 2 large loaf pans, bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
**You can make these as muffins (about 2 dozen total), bake at 350* for about 20 minutes. 
**Cinnamon chips are a seasonal item, you can find them at Hersheys.com. 
**For a healthier version, you can substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream. 

By:  LilLuna

White Chocolate Oreo Brownie Cake



White Chocolate Oreo Brownie Cake

This dessert is addictive!  And it's so pretty!  It's a great combination of brownie, cookie crunch, and chocolate.

Ingredients:
6 oz. Hershey's Cookies & Cream Chocolate Candy Bar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*.  Melt candy bar, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.  Whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until mixture is incorporated and smooth.  Pour into greased 9" springform pan.  Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Immediately pour sweetened condensed milk over brownies.  Top with mini chocolate chips.  Let cool, serve with ice cream.

By: Fahrenheit 350*

Chicken and Bacon Mac & Cheese


Chicken and Bacon Mac & Cheese

This is one of our new favorites!  How could you go wrong with grilled chicken, bacon, and mac & cheese! 

Ingredients: 
6 slices smoky bacon
salt & pepper
1 lb. whole wheat short cut pasta (such as penne or elbow noodles)
Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons butter
3 rounded tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded provolone
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 375*.  Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan or on a rack placed over a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 15-25 minutes.  Chop and reserved.  Switch on the broiler.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook just shy of al dente.  Drain and return to the pot.
While the pasta is cooking, heat a grill pan or cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat.  Drizzle the chicken with vegetable oil, season with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Grill the chicken for about 10 minutes, turning once, until nicely browned.  Transfer to a cutting board and cut into one inch pieces.
While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute.  Whisk in the cider, then the milk.  Bring to a boil and cook, whisking, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 3-4 minutes.  Add the thyme and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Stir in the cheeses until melted.
Add the chicken, bacon, and sauce to the pasta and transfer to a casserole dish.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Broil until bubbling and browned, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with parsley as desired.


**This recipe has several things going at once and uses about 5 pots/pans but it is soooo worth it!!  Jim wants it every time we have bacon in the house. 

From Rachel Ray Magazine