Pecan Shortbread Cookies for Dad

My dad loves shortbread and Pecans. I found this recipe on http://www.joyofbaking.com/shortbreads/PecanShortbreads.html .

I followed the recipe, but I added my own touch. I dipped into melted chocolate!!!!! Yummy!!!

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Pecan Shortbread's:
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bag of good semi sweet chocolate

1. I toasted the pecans. 350 for 8 minutes

2. I creamed the butter sugar and vanilla together.

3. Added the flour and salt.

4. Folded in the pecans

5. I then formed it into two logs and then put it in the fridge for a couple hours

6. I cut them about 1/2 inch thick and put on a greased baking sheet. Baked for 15 minutes on 350

7. Melted a bag of good semisweet chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirred, then another thirty seconds. Only 30 seconds at a time until smooth. I then dipped the cookie in the chocolate.

Granola for Mom

My mom and dad are flying to see me and kiddos tomorrow. I can't wait! My mom is very healthy conscience after being sick a little over a year in a half ago. So...today I made a few special items for her and my father. My mom is the one who gave me the passion of motherhood and cooking. Why not return the favor? This recipe is adapted from Giada's from the Food Network. I added a lot of different things.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Granola

1/2 cp. pine nuts

1/2 cp. sunflower seeds

1 cp. Almonds

3 cps oats

1/2 cp of blueberry syrup (you can use regular maple, but it adds a lot of flavor)

1cp. cranberry juice

3/4 cp. of brown sugar

1 cp. cranberries, dried

1. I toasted the nuts in the oven for 8 minutes on 350. I then chopped the almonds and threw it all in a big bowl. I then added the oats.

2. In a saucepan I added the syrup, juice and sugar and only cooked long enough for the sugar to dissolve.

3. I threw the sauce in the big bowl full of nuts and oats. Stir.

4. Added everything onto baking sheet and baked for 30 -40 minutes.

5. Removed and added cranberries. Let cool.

Spring into Spring with this Incredible Spring Roll

WOW! These turned out amazing. Refreshing.

Spring Roll

3 chicken breast ( I grilled) julienned

1/2 cp. carrots julienned

1/2 cp. cucumber julienned

1/2 cp rice vermicelli
4-10 rice sheets. It depends on the size of the spring roll.
1/4 cp fresh cilantro
1/2 cp shredded lettuce
2 TB fresh mint
(I only use fresh herbs)
1. After all the prep. (following directions on rice vermicelli, cutting vegs and herbs, and cutting chicken) then you dip the rice paper into water. Let soak 5 sec and remove. Put on a plate add a little of each ingredient and roll. (To roll: I recommend this site www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw-7pYq7wSc )
That is it! Super simple, but a lot of prep work. I loved this. I made a few extra for my hubby and I for a snack tomorrow. This is so healthy and yummy.

HINT: I cheated and threw the veggies in the shredder of my food processor. But it was quick and still tasted GREAT.

The dipping Sauce:

4 TB soy sauce
4 TB rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
4 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. hot sauce
2 TB cilantro

1. Whisk everything together for the sauce.

CInnamon and Bannana Oven Pancake Burrito.....(Try to say that three times)

This is my ALL TIME favorite recipe. It tastes great and everyone love it. I make this at least once each weekend. It is a little time consuming, but it is well worth it. I stuff this with many different things. I stuff this with cooked apples, strawberries, berry mix, and any other fruit.
It is always perfect and comforting.

Oven Pancake

3 TB Butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 TB sugar

1/2 cp milk

1/2 cp flour

1/4 cp sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ripe bananas

powdered sugar or whip cream

1. You add the three TB to a large frying pan and put it in the oven on 415 until melted. Then add the cinnamon an sugar and cook another 2-3 minutes in the oven.

2. Meanwhile, sift the flour and sugar. Add the milk eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

3. After you whisk the ingredients (flour, sugar, milk, eggs and vanilla) Add it to the skillet from the oven and put directly back into the oven. Keep check on it. (About 15 minutes)

4. Meanwhile, cut up the two bananas or prepare whatever fruit you are having.

6. This is what the pancake should look like. (It is so amazing just by itself)If it does, remove it from the oven. Put it directly on a plate using a spatula. Then put the fruit in the middle and roll one side then the other. Roll into a burrito form. Top with whip cream or powdered sugar.

Wow! I promise, whoever you make this for...we love you forever. Yummy! It is crispy and so flavorful.

My staple: Homemade Salsa

Every week when I get back from the farmers market. I throw a bunch of fresh tomatoes and veggies in my food processor and make salsa. I keep it in the fridge for snacking threw the week. It is so good and an awesome, healthy snack.

My Salsa

12 Roma tomatoes (Roma work the best)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 red onion
1/2 cp cilantro
2 TB olive oil
4 TB lime juice
1/2 red pepper and green pepper
1 poblano
(For my hubby and his friends I add 1 jalapeno and 2 habaneros)

My husbands 30th Birthday was a few weeks ago. My husband has been cheated the last couple of years because our daughters birthday is the day after. We seem to celebrate hers and not his. So....For his BIG 30 I had a few of his closest friends fly in without him knowing. He came home from work to see his friends at his house. Needless to say, he flipped out. Well, I made my habanero salsa for them. Which is the recipe above with the habaneros and jalapeno. It was gone in a day and I had to make it over and over again. (This make a lot of salsa. Like 4 cps +) His friends could not get enough. But fresh ingredients always make good food.
Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Caramel Brownies!!! YUM!

Okay...These are amazing. My family likes to warm them up and put a big scoop of ice cream on top. What could be better?



Cream Cheese Caramel Brownies



Brownie:

1 cp of cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cp. butter melted
1/2 cp. boiling water
1 3/4 cp. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cp. butter, melted
1 1/2 cp flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cp. caramel dots



cheesecake:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg



1. combine the cocoa, baking soda, 1/3 cp butter, the boiling water and stir until it is well blended. Add the surgar eggs and remaining melted butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix.

2. Throw the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg in a mixer for a few minutes until all is mixed and combined.

4. Put the brownie batter in an 9 x 13 baking dish. Put the cream cheese on top and swirl.

5. Bake on 350 for 45 minutes

Cajun Meatloaf, Twice Baked Potato Casserole, and Cream Cheese Caramel Brownies. YUMMY!

Let see! Where do I begin! Tonight's dinner was wonderful! My husband who does not care for meatloaf even LOVED it. My four year old asked for seconds. Does that say anything?

I adapted my recipe from a recipe I found on http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/. This makes a lot of meatloaf. I am planning on making Meatloaf sandwiches tomorrow. I will take a few pics and keep you posted. I love leftover meatloaf.

Cajun Meatloaf

2lbs of ground round

1lbs of sausage (spicy)

4 TB butter
3 bell peppers (I used red and green)

1 Red onion

5 Ribs of Celery

6 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of Black pepper, white pepper, and cayenne pepper.

1 tsp. lawrys seasoned salt

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

6 dashes of hot sauce

1/3 cp. ketchup

1/3 cp. milk

2 cps of homemade bread crumbs (I through 12 slices without crust in the food processor)

3 eggs

Topping:

1 cp Ketchup

3 TB Worcestershire
1/2 red onion

1. I used 4 tbsp. of butter and browned all the veggies. I added the spices. Let it cook a few minutes. Added the Worcestershire and hot sauce and let it cook a minute. Added ketchup and milk. Take of heat. Add the bread crumbs. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile mix meat and eggs

3. Add the veg. to the meat and form a loaf. I put mine in a 11 x 13 pan. Topped with ketchup and Worcestershire mixed together. Then added sliced onions all over the top. I drained the meatloaf if needed. I cooked on 400 for 30 minutes and then 350 for an hour. Covered. I like my meatloaf very cooked. It was done when browned around the edges.

You do not have to cook it this long. My husband and I like it almost burnt. This looks perfect to me.....

Twice Bake Potato Casserole

7 Potatoes

4 tb butter

1/3 cp heavy cream

3 tb dried minced onions

salt and pepper.

1 cp cheddar cheese

1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain. Put in mixing boil and add rest of the ingredients (except cheese). Top with the cheese.

2. I actually just broiled this until the cheese was a little brown and the potatoes were puffy.

I will add the brownies in the morning. I will also add my homemade salsa. Plus I will add pics of the meatloaf sandwiches.

Take Care!