It Inspired Me

3 cups water 1.5 cups white sugar 3 clementine oranges, quartered 5 maraschino cherries, or more to taste 1 cinnamon stick 2 tablespoons bitters, or to taste Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan; remove from heat. Stir oranges, cherries, and cinnamon stick into sugar mixture. Cover saucepan and steep for 1 hour. Remove fruit and cinnamon stick from mixture using a slotted spoon; stir in bitters.

  1 cup (8 ounces) brewed espresso or strong coffee  2 cups granulated sugar  2-1/2 cups water  750 mL bottle of vodka or rum  3 tablespoons vanilla extract Instructions Mix brewed espresso, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Add vodka (or rum) and vanilla, then transfer to a large jar. Let sit for 4-6 weeks so flavors will meld.  For gift giving, transfer the coffee liqueur into pretty bottles and tie on a tag with instructions for using it.

  Ingredients 3   c.  Plus 2 Tablespoons Cake Flour 3   tbsp.  Baking Powder 2   tbsp.  Sugar 1/2   tsp.  Salt 2   c.  Milk 2  whole Large Eggs 3   tsp.  Vanilla 4   tbsp.  Butter, Melted Extra Butter Maple Or Pancake Syrup Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl.   Mix together milk, eggs, and vanilla in a separate bowl.   Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring very gently until just combined.   Melt butter and add it to the batter, stirring gently to combine. Stir in more milk if needed for thinning. Cook on a greased skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown. Serve with an obscene amount of butter and warm syrup.

 Soft delicious peanut butter cookie   3/4   cup   creamy peanut butter 1/2   cup   salted butter   softened 1/2   cup   margarine   softened 1   cup   brown sugar 1/4   cup   granulated sugar   plus a little extra for rolling your cookie dough in 1   egg 2   cups   all purpose flour 1/2   tsp   baking soda 1/2   tsp   salt Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cream together the peanut butter, butter, margarine, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the egg. Add the flour, soda and salt. Mix until a very soft dough forms.  Scoop the dough into equal sized balls using approx. 1 1/2 tbsp of dough for each ball.  Roll the balls of dough in sugar and use a fork to press the cookies criss cross. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes. Pull out of the oven with they are no longer glossy on top. Let cool on the pan.

This is a variation of my other baked oatmeal. I prefer the Penzey’s recipe to this one but this is. A good alternative. This recipe is not sweet. 1 1/2 C milk 1 egg 1/2 Cup plain yogurt or unsweetened applesauce 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 2 TB. brown sugar 3 Cups oatmeal (quick or regular oats work) 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 Cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8x8 glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, egg, yogurt, vanilla, brown sugar, oatmeal and cinnamon. Add 3/4 of the mix to the baking dish. Evenly layer the berries on top of the oatmeal mixture. (To make sweeter you could add a fruit compote or jam here). Layer the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the berries. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown and the oatmeal is bubbling. Cut into rectangular sections and serve in bowls with a bit of milk or maple syrup on top. Prep. time: 10 minutes + 5 if cutting up fresh berries Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves:  6

Yiepld: Serves 4 ¼ cup unsalted butter ½ cup diced onions (yellow or white) 1 cup shredded carrots (I used matchsticks that I cut into half inch pieces) 2 ½-3 cups broccoli florets, chopped small 1 ½ cups chicken broth 1 cup milk (I use skim/fat free) 1 cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (or more as desired) 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut). Slowly add in bro th, milk, and cream. Sprinkle with flour and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until thickened. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Once thick, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Serve soup and enjoy

This is one of Nadia’s all time favorite recipes. I always make a lot then freeE for future dinners.  1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound 90% lean ground beef 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup diced red bell pepper ½ cup diced green bell pepper 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 cup long grain white rice like Jasmine 2½ cups low sodium beef broth 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic and cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until cooked through and crumbled. Drain the excess grease from the skillet and return it to the heat. Stir the tomato paste into the beef until well combined. Add the bell peppers, diced tomat

3 cups jasmine rice cooked 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/4 large Vidalia onion chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 1 cup peas and carrots frozen 2 large eggs 1/2 tsp sesame oil (I omitted because I didn’t have any) 3 tbsp soy sauce green onions cilantro optional In a large skillet or wok, preheat vegetable oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the garlic from burning. Add peas and carrots and cook until partially thawed, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add cooked rice. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until rice is nice and hot and starts to brown. Reduce heat and push rice to the sides of the pan, making a hole for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the middle of the pan and scramble. Once eggs are cooked, stir them into the rice. Mix soy sauce and sesame oil together and pour over rice. Stir until rice is evenly coated with sauce. Top with chopped green onions and/or cilantro, optional. NUTRITION

½ a loaf of French bread (about 8 oz) cut into cubes ½ cup butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 6 eggs 2 cups milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons cinnamon divided 1 Tablespoon brown sugar for topping powdered sugar for topping optional Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 13x9 inch baking pan and set aside. In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in brown sugar until dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and spread evenly. Add bread cubes to the pan, spreading over the top of the brown sugar/butter mixture. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over the top of bread cubes, insuring that all pieces of bread are saturated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 red bell pepper sliced 1 yellow bell pepper sliced 1 cup sugar snap peas 1 cup carrots sliced 1 cup mushrooms sliced 2 cups broccoli 1 cup baby corn 1/2 cup water chestnuts ¼ cup soy sauce 3 garlic cloves minced 3 Tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon cornstarch chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish optional In a wok or large skillet add 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add bell pepper, peas, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn, and water chestnuts. Sauté 2-3 minutes until veggies are almost tender. In a small whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Pour over veggies and cook until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired

 Simple but delish!! 32 ounces pkg breakfast sausage, 16 ounces (453.59 g) packages of cream cheese, softened 28 ounces rotes tomatoes Instructions Brown the sausage, breaking it up and crumbling it as it cooks. Once cooked through, remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and place in serving bowl. Mix in the cream cheese and picante sauce. Microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring between each, until the dip is heated through and the cream cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, pretzel crisps or crackers.

  8 oz.  cream cheese, softened 1/2 c.  buffalo sauce 1/3 c.  ranch dressing 1/3 c.  blue cheese crumbles 2 c.  chopped, cooked chicken 2 c.  sharp cheddar cheese, divided 4  scallions, thinly sliced, divided Veggie sticks and chips, for dipping Directions Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese with a rubber spatula until very creamy and smooth. Mix in the buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Stir in the chicken, blue cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and one-half of the scallions. Transfer to a 1.5 quart casserole dish, such as an 11-inch-by-7-inch casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the cheese is melted on top. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining sliced scallions. Serve with veggies and chips. 

 This is a rich chocolate Oort gooey cookie  mmmmm  remember to make these into hockey puck shaped cookies and freeze for future baking  as an alternate idea, these would be good filled with hot fudge or peanut butter.   1 1/2 cups salted butter softened 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 tbsp corn syrup 1 tbsp vanilla (yes that’s tablespoon) 3 3/4 cup flour 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder 1 tbsp cornstarch 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips Chocolate Fudge Frosting 3/4 cup salted butter softened 4 oz cream cheese softened 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder* 4 cups powdered sugar 1 tbsp vanilla milk to thin, if needed Preheat the oven to 350°. To make the cake:  Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Mix til all incorporated. The dough will be soft. Fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the dough out into 12 equal por

 This is a recipe from a coworker. I have not had it yet but is given to me with high reviews.  1 Cup Butter 1 Cup Water 2 Cups Flour 2 Cups Sugar 2 Eggs - slightly beaten 1/2 Cup Sour Cream 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (not imitation, ever) 1 teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon Baking Soda In a large saucepan bring water and butter to a boil. Remove the pan from heat and add flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, salt and baking soda - right away and with a whisk, mix well. Pour into a greased 15x10 1/2 inch jelly roll pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes (22 minutes in my oven) until golden brown. Cool for about 20 minutes. Frosting 1/2 Cup Butter 1/4 Cup Milk Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 4 Cups Powdered Sugar and 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract, combine well with a whisk. (1 Cup chopped walnuts optional - I never used them) Spread warm frosting over warm cake. Decorate with sprinkles or sugars if you like while frosting is warm.

This chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie is a copycat of the Chick fil A Cookie. Yeah I didn’t know they had a cookie either. As always, the dough freezes well. Form the dogh into hockey ouch disks, glass freeze and store in a freezer ziplock bag. Ingredients 3/4 cup vegetable shortening 1/4 cup butter softened 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1 tbsp molasses, I like dark 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats, I like old fashioned style 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 3/4 cup chocolate chips , milk or dark, semisweet or milk and chunks or chips Preheat the oven to 350°. Cream shortening, butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg, corn syrup, molasses and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add flour, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until the dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips. Portion out the dough into 1/4 cup

  INGREDIENTS 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter 1 large egg 1 cup milk INSTRUCTIONS Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Delicious dip. Good for apples, pretzels or over ice cream. Ingredients 11 oz Package Caramel Bits (or 25 Unwrapped Caramels) 1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream 1/4 Cup Mini Marshmallows Optional: 2 tsp Rum Combine Caramels and Cream in slow cooker and cook on low until melted (30 minutes to 1 hour).  Stir in marshmallows and optional rum and continue cooking on low for 30 min. Serve warm. Notes Recipe can be prepared in microwave and then kept warm in slow cooker if running low on time. Place caramels and cream in crock and cook on high in microwave for 3 minutes or until caramels begin to melt. Stir and add in marshmallows heating in 30 sec intervals until stirs creamy.