Chicken Enchilada Pasta

 photo credit: http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

original recipe: http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/2010/11/five-starsand-then-some.html

Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce
• 2/3 cups red enchilada sauce
• 2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}
• 1 cup sour cream
• Penne pasta

Optional toppings:

• Avocado
• Green Onions
• Black Olives
• Tomatoes
• Sour Cream

Instructions:

Cook chicken, drain, and shred {or shred your rotisserie}. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies. The most time consuming part of this recipe is the time spent chopping the veggies. …it took like, 5 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil! Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle. Gross. Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Just wait. It gets better. Drain pasta & return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and mix well. Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins

 photo credit: http://www.thecurvycarrot.com

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Muffins

original recipe: http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/04/13/chocolate-chip-sour-cream-muffins/

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line one cupcake pan with liners, set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In another large bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract, mixing well.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.

6. Gently add in the chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.

7. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners (I use a large ice cream scoop for this) so that the liners are about 3/4-full.

8. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 14-18 minutes.

Shrimp and Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese

 photo credit: http://www.jaymimphotoblog.com

Shrimp and Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese

original recipe: http://veryculinary.com/2012/02/16/shrimp-and-pesto-pizza-with-goat-cheese/

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 inch) round pizza crusts or flat breads

• 2 heaping tablespoons pesto spread

• 20 small-medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• salt and pepper

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place your crusts on nonstick baking sheets. Evenly distribute and spread the pesto over each crust; set aside.

Coat the shrimp with the olive oil and then sprinkle with the garlic and some salt and pepper. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, sear the shrimp for about 1 minute, flip and cook for another 30 seconds.

Place 5 shrimp on each pizza, sprinkle with the mozzarella and goat cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown on the edges. Let cool for just a minute or so and serve.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

photo credit: http://annies-eats.com

Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

original recipe: http://annies-eats.com/2011/09/09/salted-caramel-chocolate-shortbread-bars/

Ingredients:

For the shortbread layer:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar

For the caramel layer:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp. light corn syrup
• 2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

For the chocolate layer:

• 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. light corn syrup
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• Fleur de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions:

To make the shortbread layer, preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with a fork to blend, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed blend in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press in an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden. (If the crust puffs up a bit while baking, just gently press it down while it is cooling.) Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

To make the caramel layer, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue simmering and stirring until the mixture turns an amber color and thickens slightly. Pour the mixture over the shortbread layer, smooth the top, and allow to cool completely and set. (I chilled at this stage to ensure that the caramel layer would not melt when the warm chocolate was added.)

To make the chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour evenly over the caramel layer and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Allow to cool for a minute or two and then sprinkle with fleur de sel. Chill, covered, until ready to slice and serve.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

 photo credit: http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

original recipe: http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com/2010/02/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins.html

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 c. Flour
• 1 c. Sugar
• 1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 t. Baking Soda
• 1 t. Baking Powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 c. Pumpkin
• 1/2 c. Butter, softened
• 1 c. Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups. Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Break eggs into another bowl. Add pumpkin and butter; whisk until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop batter evening into 12-15 muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo

 photo credit: http://www.pauladeen.com

 Turkey Cranberry Monte Cristo

original recipe: http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/recipe_view/turkey_cranberry_monte_cristo/

Ingredients:

• 8 slices bread (potato bread, challah, or any other soft bread)
• 1 cup fontina cheese, grated
• 8 slices cooked turkey breast
• 1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce
• 1 cup baby arugula leaves
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Lay the 4 slices of the bread out on a cutting board.
2. On each slice, place 2 tablespoons of the fontina, followed by 2 slices of the turkey, and 2 tablespoons of the cranberry sauce.
3. Equally divide the arugula leaves and place on next layer.
4. Top with the remaining fontina and remaining bread slices.
5. Press down firmly on sandwiches to seal in the filling.
6. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, and nutmeg.
7. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter.
8. Dip each sandwich into the egg mixture coating both sides.
9. When butter is melted in skillet, add the sandwiches and cook until golden brown.
10. Flip sandwich and repeat with other side, adding more butter if necessary.
11. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels, and let sit for a few minutes.
12. Cut in halves and serve.

Whiskey, Caramel, Marshmallow and Bacon Bark

 photo credit: http://www.endlesssimmer.com

Whiskey, Caramel, Marshmallow and Bacon Bark

original recipe: http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2011/12/08/edible-holiday-gifts-whiskey-caramel-mashamallow-and-bacon-bark/

Makes 1 8×8 pan | Preparation: Line pan with parchment or wax paper with a one-inch overhang on each side.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 cups of mini marshmallows
• ¼ cup whiskey
• 1 cup caramel (recipe follows)
• 1 cup of spiced bacon crumble (recipe follows)

Instructions:

1. Place chocolate in a bain marie or in a heat-proof bowl above simmering water. Heat on low until chocolate is melted. Pour half of melted chocolate into parchement-lined pan. Then using an offset spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until melted chocolate becomes solid.

2. Place marshmallows in a large saucepan and heat until marshmallows starts to just melt and forms web-like strands when stirred. (See picture). Remove from heat and add in 5 tablespoons of whiskey; stir to combine. Spread marshmallow mixture over solid chocolate layer. (To easily spread the marshmallow to an even layer, spray offset spatula with non-stick spray.)

3. Pour caramel on top of marshmallow layer. Then, using an offset spatula, spread caramel until smooth. Transfer pan to freezer to chill for about 5 minutes or until caramel becomes slightly hardened. Pour remaining half of chocolate over caramel layer and, using an offset spatula, spread chocolate until smooth. Sprinkle and gently press bacon crumble into chocolate, Return fully assembled bark to refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes or until bark becomes solid. Bring bark to almost room temperature before cutting.

Bacon Crumble

• 16 oz bacon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoon water
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1. Cook bacon and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, coarsely crumble bacon with hand; set aside and heat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Place sugar and water in a pot and heat until sugar is dissolved. Toss crumbled bacon in sugar syrup to coat. Pass coated bacon through a strainer to drain excess sugar syrup.

2. Add egg white to a bowl and beat until fluffy and foamy. Add in black pepper and cayenne. Whisk to combine. Add in crumbled bacon and toss to coat.

3. Spread coated, crumbled bacon on a parchment lined bakesheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, then crumble bacon one last time.

Caramel Filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 7 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions:

Add sugar and water into a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Use a wet brush to remove any crystals that form on the side. Once sugar has dissolved increase heat to high. Now and then, using the handle, give the pot a swirl to keep the mixture moving. Do not stir the mixture directly. The mixture will start to bubble after a minute. As the mixture darkens to a medium amber color, approximately 5-7 minutes, add the butter and heavy cream to saucepan. The mixture will bubble wildly. Whisk to combine (bubbles will subside upon cooling). Set aside to cool completely.

Notes:

- If you are gifting this, best to keep it whole and let the recipient dive in and cut it as they go. But if you decide to cut it up and box it, make sure to place a sheet of parchment between each layer.

- Bark can be kept at rooom temperature for up to two days.

- You may have more caramel then you need, so keep the leftover in a jar to use in or on another dessert.

- To keep a nice sharp edge while cutting the bark: (1) Use a really sharp knife and press the blade’s tip into the bark and then bring the remainder of the blade down into the bark. Depending on the kind of knife you use, most blades are shaped at an angle, so don’t bring the knife down in one push, the uneven pressure will crack the bark. (2) After the bark has set in the refrigerator bring it to room temperature before cutting. This will soften the chocolate and make for easy cutting. If the bark starts to split or start to chip off as you cut, the bark is still too cold to cut.