Grape Salad

I love an interesting dessert, and this one sure does deliver. It's the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy, sweet and sour. It travels well too, so make up a batch and take some to your next family gathering.

Ingredients:


5 pounds seedless grapes (Any kind, but I love black grapes.)
8 ounces of sour cream
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed


1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, cream cheese and granulated sugar until well mixed and most lumps are gone.

2. Add in grapes. Mix until well coated.

3. Sprinkle brown sugar and chopped pecans over the top. Refrigerate and serve. Enjoy!

Grated Apple Pie

This pie isn't traditional. There's no weave-top crust or a ton of apple slices. Instead, it's loaded with grated apple and is bare on top to reveal the filling. P.S. It's a zillion times easier to make.

Ingredients:


1 stick butter, melted
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
5 cups apples, grated
2 refrigerated pie crusts


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.

3. Add eggs and then apples. Mix.

4. Divide mixture into the two pie crusts. Bake for 10 minutes on 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pie rings around the crust so it doesn't burn, and continue baking the pies for 30 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Apple Bundt Cake

With apple season fast approaching, I would like to share my mother's apple cake recipe, which she happened to learn from her grandmother. So this recipe is four generations old, and as classic (and delicious) as ever.

Ingredients:


3 cups self-rising flour
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup apples, grated (You can use any type of apple, but we tend to use Gala.)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Liberally grease a Bundt pan with shortening and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, sugar, eggs and oil with an electric mixer. Stir in apples.

4. Pour mixture into greased pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then run a thin flexible spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen cake. Place a serving platter over the cake pan and invert it to remove cake.  Slice and enjoy!

Penne with Pesto and Italian Sausage

I love creating dishes using the ingredients I already have on hand, and most all the time I have whole grain pasta, pesto and frozen Italian sausages in the kitchen. So that's what I used for this easy dish. Use what you have and be creative with your next pasta dish!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound whole grain penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

3/4 cup cheese pasta sauce, warmed either in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat (I use a Bertolli four-cheese pasta sauce)

2 tablespoons store-bought basil pesto

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), sliced

2 hot Italian sausage links, cooked according to package directions and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Prepare sausages first, since they take the longest to cook. Then bring water to a boil in a large saucepan about 10 minutes before sausage is finished and cook pasta. Lastly prepare cheese sauce just before pasta is finished cooking.

2. After preparing ingredients as directed above, toss everything in a serving bowl. Serve with crusty bread on the side. Enjoy!

Pesto Pizza

You won't miss the sauce when you bite into this easy-to-make pizza. The pesto lends a ton of flavor to the crust.

Ingredients:

1 can refrigerated pizza dough

3 tablespoons store-bought basil pesto

pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of garlic powder

2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese (either sliced thin or shredded)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup peperoncini, sliced

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Press out the pizza dough with your fingertips onto a pizza stone or a large baking sheet.

2. Spread the pesto onto the crust evenly, just as you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and garlic powder.

3. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Next, top with peperoncini and sun-dried tomatoes, or your favorite toppings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Bake pizza for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven, slice and enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookies

These are healthy oatmeal cookies. Yes, I said "healthy" and "cookie" in the same sentence. It's true. They are naturally sweetened with honey instead of sugar and I used coconut oil instead of a more fattening oil like canola. Give these a try – you won't be able to tell they're actually good for you.

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

(Dry)

1 cup whole wheat all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

(Wet)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil (or your oil of choice - olive, canola, grapeseed; you can also substitute applesauce for half of the oil called for)

1 tablespoon molasses

1 egg (beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

(Add-ins)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

3. In another medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.

4. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix together. Once mixed, stir in the add-ins. (If the mixture seems too wet, add a little bit of flour.)

5. Cover mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

6. Once chilled, drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Keep cookies 2 inches apart. Lightly press top of cookie down.

7. Bake for 15 minutes or until bottom of the cookie is light brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroons

It's amazing how quick it is to make light and chewy macaroons, and with very few ingredients. These are perfect for tea time or an afternoon sweet snack, especially if you're as die hard about coconut as I am!

Ingredients:


7 ounces shredded sweetened coconut
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg white, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt


Yield: Approximately 14 macaroons


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and almond extract with a rubber spatula.

3. In another small bowl, beat the egg white and salt on high speed until frothy and slightly firm peaks form. (Test this by stopping mixer and lifting beaters out of mixture. If small peaks stand up and don't fall over, it is perfect.)

4. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold half of the egg white mixture into the coconut mixture. Then gently fold in the other half of the egg white mixture until it is a homogeneous mixture.

5. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop small mounds of the coconut mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-1/2 inches in between each.

6. Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until macaroons are lightly golden on top. Remove from oven and cool.
Enjoy!

Veggie Quesadillas

Here's an easy weeknight dinner that spreads a buck, or a fun party finger food on the weekend. Try these quesadillas filled with cheese and veggies. Or, for the picky eaters, leave out the vegetables and enjoy a different kind of grilled cheese.

Yield: 4 quesadillas

Ingredients:


2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion (I used a shallot), diced
1 bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
2 small (or 1 large) yellow squash, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 whole wheat soft tortilla shells
2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 lime


1. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. When oil slightly ripples, add garlic and onion. Cook until slightly tender.

2. Add in bell pepper and squash. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender. Remove skillet from heat.

3. In another skillet over medium heat, spread a small amount of butter (just enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan). When the butter is bubbling, add one tortilla shell.

4. While the shell browns, sprinkle on 1/4 cup of cheese. Then add a spoonful or two of the cooked vegetables and spread evenly. Then add another 1/4 cup of cheese and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of parsley on top. Place another tortilla shell on top of the cheese and press down so all layers stick together.

5. Once bottom tortilla is browned and cheese is starting to melt, use a large spatula to gently flip quesadilla over to brown on the other side. Let the second side brown and the cheese melt completely. Sprinkle outside of quesadilla with a light squeeze of lime juice.

6. Remove from pan and let rest for a minute before cutting into 8 triangles. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the other 3 quesadillas. Enjoy by dipping quesadilla triangles in salsa.

Blueberry Muffins

Don't use a powdered muffin mix ever again; it's so easy to make muffins from scratch!

Ingredients:


12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried completely


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans and set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add the vanilla, sour cream and milk. Beat well.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low, add the sifted flour mixture to the batter slowly. Beat until batter is just mixed. Don't overmix or muffins will be too dense.

5. With a spatula, fold in the blueberries until evenly incorporated into batter.

6. Fill each muffin liner to the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until muffins are lightly brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, but still moist. Remove from oven and let muffins cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying!

Box of Chocolates

Don't spend a bunch of money and a little bit of time picking up a store-bought box of chocolates for your Valentine. Instead, make a bunch of homemade chocolate treats (maybe like my recipes for chocolate peanut butter cups, white chocolate bark or cookie dough truffles) and cut them into bite-sized pieces (or use cute Valentine-themed cookie cutters). Then place white mini cupcake liners in the bottom of a deep-sided container and fill liners with your bite-sized chocolates. Your Valentine will be so impressed that you made all the treats in the box, rather than you half-heartedly picking up a box at the convenience store.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Eating store-bought cookie dough can be dangerous, so you can have ease of mind while eating these homemade balls of chocolate covered dough. There are no eggs to be found in this recipe, so the only thing to worry about is running out of them.


Ingredients:


1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces (or mini semisweet chocolate chips)
4 cups semisweet chocolate, for melting


1. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed in a large bowl. Add in vanilla and beat.

2. Beat in flour – 1/2 cup at a time – alternately with condensed milk. Once mixture becomes combined well, mix in the 1/2 cup of chocolate morsels.

3. With flour on your hands, shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.

4. After chilled, melt the 4 cups of chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute; stir. Microwave for an additional 30 seconds, or until chocolate is completely melted. Using 2 forks, dip chilled cookie dough balls into the melted chocolate to cover completely.

5. Place back on the waxed paper and continue coating balls in chocolate. Once all balls are coated, return to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

Then, enjoy!

White Chocolate Bark

This is the simplest chocolate treat to make. It is only a matter of melting chocolate and covering it with whatever toppings you like.

Ingredients:

2 (14 oz.) bags white chocolate chips*

1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1. In a heat-proof bowl, microwave the chocolate chips for 1 minute. Stir and then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Stir again. If not melted, continue microwaving in 15-second intervals until melted.

2. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread chocolate evenly. Immediately sprinkle the top of chocolate with coconut flakes and almonds.

3. Let sit at room temperature until completely hardened, about an hour. Once chocolate is hardened, break apart into all shapes and sizes. Enjoy!

*Some variations could be dark chocolate sprinkled with chopped dried cherries and almond slivers, milk chocolate sprinkled with chopped pecans or butterscotch sprinkled with chow mein noodles and peanuts.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

These taste like those wonderful peanut butter cups we all love, and these only have five ingredients. They're so simple to make, you'll have them in the fridge all the time so you can have your favorite candy whenever you want.

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Line a 13x9-inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine the butter, peanut butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Process until the mixture forms into a ball. Press mixture into the pan into an even layer.

3. Melt the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir after the first minute and if chips are not melted, microwave for an additional 15 seconds then stir again.

4. Spread chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or until chocolate is completely hardened.

5. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator to come slightly to room temperature. Then cut into square pieces and serve. Keep stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Crispy, Spicy Chicken Fingers

These chicken fingers have the same crunchy texture as a fried one, only these are baked and have a special kick of heat. For a nice appetizer, cut chicken breast into 1 1/2-inch nuggets instead of long strips.

Yield: 4 chicken fingers

Ingredients:


1 large boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into four long strips
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup plain yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
kosher salt, for sprinkling
olive oil, for drizzling


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Prepare a dredging station for the chicken: combine the flour and salt in one shallow dish; put the beaten egg in a small dish in the middle; combine the corn meal, chili powder, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in another shallow dish; and place the greased baking sheet at the end of the station.

3. First, evenly dredge the chicken pieces with flour, shaking off any excess. Then coat with the beaten egg; shake off any excess. Lastly, evenly coat the chicken with the corn meal mixture. Place coated chicken on the baking sheet.

4. Lightly drizzle each piece with olive oil and sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt.

5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the outside is crispy and golden and the chicken is just firm to the touch.

6. Serve with sweet and spicy honey mustard dipping sauce (2 tablespoons honey mixed with 4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard) or with a Ranch dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

Date Nut Bars

I remember eating these all the time growing up, and my favorite part is still sprinkling the confectioners sugar on top. It's the sweet topping to a thick, cake-like bar.

Ingredients:


3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour (take 2 tablespoons out of each cup of flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour milk (1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates
confectioners sugar


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. With an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg; beat.

3. In another large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients and milk to the creamed mixture in small batches, alternating between sour milk and flour. (Begin and end with flour.)

4. Fold in nuts and dates. Evenly spread batter into the baking dish.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out barely moist with some crumbs. Don't overcook or bars will be too dry.

6. Remove from oven and let cool completely in pan. Once cooled, sprinkle liberally with confectioners sugar. Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Shortbread Cookies

All you need to make great cookies is 5 ingredients. This is a staple recipe, and you can jazz them up in so many ways. And if you want to always have them on hand, pop the prepared rolled dough log in the freezer and bake them off within a month.

Ingredients:


1 1/2 sticks butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar, plus some for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add vanilla extract; beat.

3. In another mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Add to butter mixture in small batches, beat on low speed after each addition. Beat just until dough starts to form.

4. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Loosely wrap dough in plastic wrap and form into a log shape 2 inches in diameter.

5. Refrigerate wrapped dough log for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from refrigerator and unwrap dough.

6. Slice into 1/2-inch cookie disks. Place cookies on baking sheet 1-2 inches apart. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sugar.

7. Bake cookies for 20 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Enjoy cookies plain or jazz them up with the following suggestions:

– For chocolate dipped cookies, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir after 30 seconds then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until completely melted. Add in another 3/4 cup chocolate chips and stir vigorously until chips melt from the residual heat of the microwaved chocolate. Then dip cooled cookies halfway into the chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to harden. For extra special cookies, sprinkle chocolate-dipped cookies with finely chopped pecans.

– For lemon shortbread cookies, substitute lemon extract for the vanilla extract. When cookies are cooled, dip in a lemon glaze mixture: 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice. Allow dipped cookies to harden.

– For pecan sandies or almond shortbread cookies, stir in finely chopped pecans or toasted slivered almonds before rolling dough into a log.

– For coconut shortbread, stir in toasted coconut before rolling dough into a log.

Chicken Fingers

Skip the drive-through and make these in your own kitchen. And did I mention they're not fried?

Ingredients:


1 chicken breast (makes about 4 fingers)
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
15 saltine crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. With a sharp knife, slice chicken breast into four finger-shaped pieces, about 3/4-inch thick. To insure even thickness, slice on a diagonal.

3. Make a dredging station: 1 plate with mustard, 1 plate with the combination of crushed crackers and seasonings, then the baking sheet at the end.

4. Dredge the chicken pieces through the mustard to coat, then coat well with the cracker mixture. Press the mixture onto the outside so it sticks well. Place coated chicken on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken fingers. Remove from oven when golden brown and fingers are firm when pressed.

6. Serve alone or with dipping sauce such as honey mustard. Enjoy!

Pasta with Italian Sausage and Tomato Sauce

Combining ingredients that I know my boyfriend likes always turns out well. And if it has pasta in it, it's always a winner. This concoction did not disappoint. 

Ingredients:

16 ounces pasta of choice (I used a mixture of penne and elbow macaroni.)

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/4 onion, diced

3 links mild Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon each of dried sage, dried basil, dried thyme, garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package in a large pot of boiling water. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine tomatoes, herbs and seasonings over medium-low heat. Using a potato masher, gently smash the tomatoes to release the juices to make a thick sauce. Cook over a low heat until other elements of dish are ready.

2. In a deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Add in sausage chunks and continue cooking until sausage is done all the way through.

3. Drain pasta once cooked. Toss together tomato sauce, pasta and sausage mixture. Serve and enjoy! 

Coconut Cupcakes

Coconut, sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream and cream of coconut. Enough said.

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 small can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 can (13.5 ounces) cream of coconut

1 (8 ounce) tub thawed whipped topping

1 small bag frozen grated coconut

flaked sweetened coconut

1. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake as directed on package.

2. Combine sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. 

3. Remove cupcakes from oven and immediately poke several holes in each using a toothpick. Liberally drizzle milk mixture over each cupcake so it soaks into cake.

4. Let cupcakes cool completely.

5. For frosting, combine whipped topping and grated coconut. Spread about 2 tablespoons onto each cooled cupcake. Lastly, sprinkle with flaked sweetened coconut. 

6. Keep cupcakes refrigerated. Enjoy!