Iced Sugar Cookies

Hey friends!

One of my sweet friends just had a precious baby boy.  I am going to visit him this week for the first time, so I wanted to make them something special.  I decided that iced sugar cookies would be the best sweet treat for this sweet, new family!

This recipe is from the book, 1 Dough, 100 Cookies by Linda Doeser.  It's such a great recipe book!  Every cookie I've made has been delicious, and these are no exception.  They have lots of great buttery, sugary flavor...I love it!  I did alter the icing recipe a tad to fit my personal preferences, but it only made them better!  This was an easy, fun way to make some really neat cookies.  Enjoy!

Fresh out of the oven...yum!

Frosted and drying...

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 cup butter, softened
scant 3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
salt

To decorate: (my variation)
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
edible food colorings
sprinkles
food coloring pen (for writing)

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar.  Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.  Sift together the flour and a pinch of salt into the mixture and combine thoroughly.  Halve the dough, shape into balls, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line two cookie sheets with baking parchment.

Unwrap the dough and roll out between 2 sheets of baking parchment to about 1/8 inch thick.  Stamp out cookies in desired shape and put them on the prepared cookie sheets spaced well apart.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown.  Let cool on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

To decorate, mix together confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla.  It should have the consistency of thick cream.  Divide the frosting among 3-4 bowls and add a few drops of your chosen food colorings to each.  Spread the different frostings over the cookies to the edges.  Decorate with sprinkles, shredded coconut, etc.  Let the frosting set before writing on it with a food coloring pen.

Special cookies for baby Landry! :)

Shrimp Scampi au Gratin

Hey friends!

If you like shrimp, this is the dish for you!  I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but it's been in our monthly rotation for awhile now.  It's so easy to make, and tastes delicious!  Even if you're not a huge seafood fan, you'll like this dish.  The bread crumb mixture gives the shrimp this buttery, decadent taste that's to die for!  It literally takes about 20 minutes to throw this whole meal together, so it's perfect for a busy weeknight meal.  My husband loves this and raves over it every time I make it!  Enjoy!

Combine melted butter, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, oregano and pepper.

Place cleaned and deveined shrimp in baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Spoon bread crumb mixture over shrimp.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 pound medium-sized shrimp
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano
black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Clean and devein shrimp (or buy it already cleaned and deveined, like me).  Place in 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.  Combine butter, crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, oregano, and black pepper.  Spoon the mixture over the shrimp.  Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.  Place under broiler until crumb topping is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Tastes great served with whole wheat linguine or brown rice!

Red Velvet Cake

Hey friends!

If you're from the South, you've probably had about 100 different variations on a red velvet cake.  This one is by far the best one I've ever had!  In fact, it's so good, my husband requested it for his birthday, which was yesterday.  So, being the good wife that I am, I made it for him!  I stayed up all night, making this version, which comes from Emeril Lagasse and is officially called "Sylvia's Red Velvet Cake."  It's actually pretty easy to make, and super moist and delicious!  Enjoy!

Here's what you need for the cake...

Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs 1 at a time.

Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk.

Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla.

Pour into greased and floured cake pans.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Turn out on racks to cool.

Here's what you need for that delicious cream cheese frosting...

Combine cream cheese and butter.  Beat in confectioner's sugar until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla.

Use the frosting to fill and ice the cake.

Voila!  Isn't it pretty! :)

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 ounces red food coloring (I used just under 1 ounce)
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (I omitted because the birthday boy doesn't like pecans!)

Directions:

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) cake pans (I used 3 8-inch pans instead).  In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk.  Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla.  Spread evenly into cake pans.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Turn out onto a rack to cool.

For the frosting:
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter.  Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy.  Beat in vanilla.  Stir in pecans.  Use frosting to fill and ice cake.

Slice and serve!

Zippy Beef

Hey friends!

This recipe is a classic in my husband's family.  I need to thank them profusely for introducing me to this wonderful casserole!

My husband loves a good casserole, and this one has it all.  It has some sweet and some savory, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  I passed this one on to my own Mother, who, instead of using ketchup, adds in Rotel for a little kick.  :)

Any way you cook it, this casserole is easy, fun, pleasing, and only gets better the next day.  Enjoy!

Cook ground beef and drain.  Add to 2 quart casserole.

Add chopped green pepper.

Add cream of mushroom soup, milk, ketchup, and minced onion.

Add shredded Cheddar cheese.

Add cooked and drained macaroni.

Mix it all together!

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.  Yum!
(This picture seriously does not do it justice.  Don't judge the dish by my horrible photography skills!)

Ingredients:

1 pound ground  beef
4 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni (I use whole wheat)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons instant minced onion
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cook and stir meat until brown.  Drain off fat.  Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.  In 2 quart casserole, mix all ingredients.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6 :)

Cherry Squares

Hey friends!

This is one of my all-time favorite desserts!  This recipe is from my Mom and her 4 sisters, who grew up with the blessing of my grandma and her amazing culinary skills.  Her pastries were especially delicious.  She made homemade kolaches, cinnamon rolls, breads, and even wedding cakes!  But, my crazy Mom and aunts loved the cherry squares their school cafeteria made.  I mean, what were they thinking!  With a mother that could make all sorts of amazing pastries and treats from scratch, you think they would have been happy!  But, no, they wanted dessert from the cafeteria!

But, honestly, I can't really blame them because cherry squares are so amazing!  They have such a great crumbly crust, and those cherries, oh my!  I just love it!

So, keep in mind if you choose to make these, that they were originally meant to be made in much larger batches for use in the school cafeteria.  I'm not sure who broke the recipe down to fit a 9x13 inch pan, but God bless them!

Enjoy! :)

Mix flour, sugar, melted butter and salt.

You should end up with a crumbly mixture like this.

Press half of the flour mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan.

Layer the cherries over the top.

Add the rest of the flour mixture and press firmly.

Bake at 325 degrees F until golden brown.
Yummy! :)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/8 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted (10 2/3 tablespoons), NO substitutions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 #303 can cherries, tart (drained)

Directions:

Mix 1st four ingredients well.  Press 1/2 of mixture in bottom of cake pan.  Layer cherries next.  Add the rest of the flour mixture and press firmly.  Bake at 325 degrees F until golden brown.  Cut into squares while warm.

**I used 2 cans of cherries for my batch, partly because I love cherries, and partly because the only cans I could find were on the smaller side.

Chicken Croissants

Hey friends!

What is it about onions sautéing in butter that is so irresistible?!?  Is it the memories of home-cooking from my childhood, or is it just that onions and butter are two ingredients that when combined are amazing no matter what you put them in?!?  All I'm saying is that if Scentsy would come out with a "Sauteed Onions in Butter" scent, I would totally buy it!

In all seriousness though, in honor of fall, the busiest time of year for teachers, I am posting my favorite, super easy, delicious meal.  I got this recipe in my wedding cookbook from my dear friend, Genny (love you!).  It is seriously hard to resist making these every night!  They have this yummy combination of slightly sweet (the crescent rolls and butter) and slightly sour (the cream cheese).  My husband absolutely adores these, and requests them almost every single week!  Every time I make these and take them to school, everyone asks for the recipe.  So here it is!  Enjoy!

Sauté onions in butter (my favorite part!)

Mix chicken, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon melted butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once onions are cool, add to mixture, combining well (I use my hands).

Flatten 2 croissants on a cookie sheet to make a rectangle.  Smooth edges together.

Spoon in chicken mixture (about 1/3 cup).

Bring corners to the center and twist to close.  Smooth the sides together.  Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with Italian breadcrumbs.

Bake at 325 degrees F until golden brown.

Ingredients:

2 cans refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped onions sauteed in butter  :)
1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese (I use low fat)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Italian breadcrumbs (a few pinches)

Directions:

Mix chicken, cream cheese, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a mixing bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add onions after cool (I mix with my hands to ensure it's well mixed).  Set aside.  On a cookie sheet, flatten 2 croissants to make a rectangle.  Smooth edges together.  Spoon in chicken mixture (about 1/3 cup) and bring corners to the center.  Twist closed and smooth sides.  Do the same with remaining croissants.  Pour or brush remaining butter over the tops of the croissants and sprinkle with Italian breadcrumbs.  Bake in 325 degree F oven until golden brown (12-14 minutes).

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Hey friends!

This is one of my go-to dinners for busy weeks.  The meatballs can be made ahead of time (or if you're really busy you can buy pre-made ones) and all the ingredients can be combined in the slow cooker to simmer all day long.  I make these any time we have a game night or casual get together at our house.  They are always a crowd pleaser!  Enjoy!

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion.

Roll into small meatballs.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, turning once.

For the sauce, combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice.

It will still be chunky...

Add in the cooked meatballs and simmer for about 1 hour before serving.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons minced onion

1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce

3/4 cup chili sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion.  Roll into small meatballs and back for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, in a slow cooker or large saucepan, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice.  Add the meatballs and simmer for 1 hour before serving.

**This is great served as an appetizer, or as a meal with rice and a vegetable.  Yummy! :)