My Famous Meatloaf

Meatloaf is such a classic and can be made so many different ways. I love a hearty meatloaf that has chunks of veggies and tons of flavor. This recipe has been my go to recipe now for years. I once made it for my cousin Tony and he loved it so much that I had to make it again for him. The recipe below makes one large meatloaf. However, in the pictures below you will see two meatloaves but that is because I doubled the recipe so that Tony could take one home. Enjoy!

My Famous Meatloaf

Recipe by Heart for Cooking

Makes 1 large meatloaf, serves 6 people

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground beef

1 cup of breadcrumbs

1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley

4 cloves of minced garlic

1 large Spanish onion

1 large chopped green or red pepper

1 egg

1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 cup of your favorite tomato sauce

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a loaf pan, you can either spray it with non-stick spray or what I do is take aluminum foil and line the inside of the pan. A trick I use is to flip your pan upside down and place the aluminum foil over it and mold it to the bottom of the pan. Then flip the loaf pan over and place the shaped foil inside of it. Leave enough over hang so that when the meatloaf is done, you can pull it out with these flaps. Spray the aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients except for the tomato sauce. With your hands, mix all of the ingredients together. Form into a loaf and place into prepared pan. Finish molding the loaf so that it fills the bottom of the pan. Then pour tomato sauce over entire meatloaf. You want to make sure you have at least an inch from the meatloaf to the top of the pan to avoid any spills. Place meatloaf uncovered into the oven for roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Taste of New Haven, CT

I love Groupon! You are able to find great deals to fun places at discounted rates. Well last night we took advantage of a Groupon I bought last month for the Taste of New Haven food and drink tour. It is so great to know that there are fun things to do right here in CT. This food, drink and walking tour was so much fun! The guide, Colin, was fun and made the experience memorable. We stopped at a couple of different places during our walking tour and sampled wine, cheese, salad, pasta and delicious tapas while learning the history of New Haven (Westville). If you are looking for something to do, I would definitely recommend giving this a shot. Colin also has a Farmer's Market tour on Sunday's which I want to try one day soon. Enjoy!

Tapas at Manjares! They had an awesome sangria too!

Asparagus Chicken Roulade

We had our good friends over for dinner and I wanted to make something special. My only dilema was that it had to be something I could cook in an hour. I had this recipes in my binder for over a year and don't know why I didn't make this sooner. It was so simple and delicious. 

Since I knew I would only have one hour to cook, I prepped the chicken the night before. I took two plastic bags and placed one, defrosted, chicken breast at a time between the plastic bags and pounded them with my meat mallet to about 1/4" thick. Once I did that to all four breasts, I sliced them in half--now that the breasts were flattened they were too large. I then placed the chicken in a bowl, covered it and placed it in the fridge. The next day, I took the chicken out and only had to start assembling the roulades. Also I love for my chicken to have a golden crust. So before placing the chicken in the oven, I melted 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan and browned the chicken lightly. The butter gave the chicken a beautiful golden color. I served my asparagus chicken roulade with my delicious penne vodka. Enjoy!

Asparagus Chicken Roulade

Serves 6-8

Recipe adapted from Ladies Home Journal

Ingredients:

4 (1-3/4 lbs total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and ground black pepper

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

8 slices prosciutto

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

8 asparagus stems, cut into 2-1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

1. Heat broiler to high with rack 4 inches from heat. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.

2. Slice chicken breasts horizontally into 2 thin pieces. If necessary, layer between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick. Lay breasts, smooth side down, on work surface; season with salt and pepper. Spread each with 1/2 tsp of Dijon. Layer with prosciutto, goat cheese and asparagus. Roll up, starting at the wide end of each breast. In a pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Place roulades in pan for 2 minutes on each side--until chicken gets a nice golden crust. Then place on the baking sheet, seam side down.

3. Sprinkle with pepper. Broil until chicken is cooked through and tops are golden, 6 to 8 min, rotating baking sheet halfway through.

Nutrition Facts: Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories(kcal)337, Protein(gm)56, Carbohydrate(gm)2, Fat, total(gm)11, Cholesterol(mg)144, Saturated fat(gm)6, Dietary Fiber, total(gm)1, Sodium(mg)960, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Chicken with Balsamic Pears

My first recipe in the new kitchen was well worth the wait. It was a turkey cutlet with balsamic pears. Simply delicious. However, i didn't have any turkey cutlets in the house and didn't want to go out to the store to buy them. So I used chicken breasts and this recipe came out delicious! As a side dish I made roasted sweet potatoes and bacon. Both recipes are definitely keepers. Enjoy!

Chicken with Balsamic Pears
Recipe by Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, 1/4 inch thick and patted dry
course salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
2 Bosc pears, cored and sliced into this wedges

Directions: Pound chicken flat to about 1/4 inch thick. I placed one chicken breast at a time in between two plastic bags. This way if one breaks, you have a second to protect against any splattering. Pat dry with a paper towel.   Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add chicken and cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add shallots, garlic and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots begin to soften, 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together  broth, vinegar, and mustard. Add pears to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add broth mixture; cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are tender and liquid is almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet, along with any juices. Add thyme, toss to combine, and serve!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

Recipe by Everyday Food Magazine

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces

4 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch strips

5 sprigs of thyme

Course salt and pepper

Directions: Preheat over to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, lay sweet potatoes in a single layer. Then spread bacon pieces and sprigs of thyme on top of sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife and bacon is crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

I am back and ready to cook!

I can hardly believe it has been four months since my last post. Let me add that I have not cooked or baked anything in those four months. Most people wouldn't mind eating out that often but it totally saddened me to be away  from my kitchen so long. However my leave of absence was actually for a very good reason--my kitchen was remodeled. It was completely gutted out and rebuilt with new sheet rock, lighting, counters and my favorite part, more cabinets! I have a smile from ear to ear now when I walk into my kitchen--it is beautiful! I thank my hubby everyday for the beautiful work he did--it is just gorgeous. So I am back in full stride with a line-up of recipes ready to cook (and bake) and report back on.


Here are some pic's of my beautiful new kitchen!

Mushroom Sausage Pockets

I invited my family over for a brunch and wanted to make something different. My family likes its traditions when it comes to food. Don't get me wrong, I love our Latin food but wanted to make something different for my brunch. So I found this recipe and fell in love with it. I love phyllo dough and these little pockets are wrapped in it. How can you go wrong with sausage and mushroom wrapped in crisp phyllo? I made the sausage mixture the night before so that on Sunday for our brunch, all I had to do was assemble the pockets and bake. These came out great and I can't wait to make them again. You could even customize the filling with ground chicken or beef if you don't like sausage. Enjoy!

Mushroom Sausage Pockets

Recipe by RachRayMag.com

Makes 12 pockets (I used the entire package of phyllo sheets)

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 pound hot Italian sausages (about 3) casings removed

1 pound white mushrooms

Sliced 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 cups ricotta cheese

Salt and pepper

1 box of phyllo dough, thawed

8 tablespoons butter, melted

Directons:

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes; push the onions to the side and add the sausages. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the ricotta. Season with salt and pepper. (If you are making the mushroom and sausage mixture the night before, let it cool and then place it in a large tupperware container and refrigerate. Take it out of refrigerator an hour before you assemble the pockets. Proceed to next step.)

Preheat the oven to 375°. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface and cover the remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel. Brush the sheet with butter, then set another sheet on top. With a sharp knife, trim the phyllo to make a square. Brush with butter, place a quarter of the filling in the center and spread into a 4-inch square. Fold the flaps of phyllo over the filling to form a pocket; brush with butter; repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more pockets.

Brush a baking sheet with butter and place the pockets on top. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Mushrooms and sausage mixture before adding ricotta. 

Pockets are ready to be assembled and baked.

Chocolate Truffle Dessert

We were invited to our friends house for dinner and were asked to bring dessert. Of course I was more than happy to bring one but what? So I just bought this new magazine called simple & delicious -- I am a total magazine junkie -- and saw this beautiful chocolate cake. I must make this for the dinner. It may not be the smartest thing to make a new recipe for a party without testing it but why not test it with friends? So I went to the store and bought everything I needed or so I thought. But when I got home, I realized I forgot the brownie mix! But I am a baker darn it, I can make a brownie from scratch so I did. I used my favorite brownie recipe which I posted already -- click here. This recipe was a little time consuming but so worth the effort. It looks gorgeous and tasted delicious! Enjoy!

My gorgeous Chocolate Truffle Dessert

Chocolate Truffle Dessert

Recipe courtesy of simple & delicious magazine

Serves 16

Ingredients:

1 box fudge brownie mix (8-inch square pan size) (I used my homemade brownie recipe)

3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

3 tablespoons vanilla extract

14 to 16 Pirouette cookies, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

Directions: Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Spread into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Place chocolate chips in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup cream, butter and coffee granules. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until butter is melted; stir until smooth. With food processor running, add cream mixture to chocolate chips in a slow, steady stream. Add vanilla; cover and process until smooth.

Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag. Fill with 1/4 cup chocolate mixture; set aside for garnish. Transfer remaining chocolate mixture to a large bowl.

Remove sides of springform pan. Spread half of the chocolate mixture over brownie layer, spreading evenly over top and sides. In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until soft peaks form; fold into remaining chocolate mixture. Spread over chocolate layer. Gently press cookies into sides of dessert.

Pipe reserved chocolate mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 5 minutes before cutting. 

Brownie mix is ready to go into oven.

Chocolate mixture prepped.

Chocolate mixture spread on top of brownie and ready to go into the fridge.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Believe it or not although I love to bake desserts, I am more of a savory type of person. I love baking sweet treats for others though. Now the only exception is a good cookie--that I enjoy. I like thin crispy cookies around the edge but with a soft center. I have many cookie recipes and was never too happy with the result although everyone else always enjoyed them. I should have known that my baking idol, Martha Stewart, would have the best recipe. This chocolate chip recipe which I tore out of her recent magazine was a winner! The only modification I made was to use 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips instead of 2 cups. This recipe is definitely a keeper--enjoy!

The best chocolate chip cookie!

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Recipe by Martha Stewart

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips (I used 1 1/2 cups)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350º. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes (I baked mine for 12 minutes--all ovens vary though). Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

This is the batter with only 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.

Ready to go into a 350º oven.

Whole Wheat Pancake/Waffle Mix

I love waking up early on Saturday's to go tag sale hunting. Who doesn't love a good  bargain? Well, one day I found a real gem. There it was, under a table wrapped in a cardboard box--a stainless steel professional waffle maker. It was gorgeous and only $20! I asked the older couple the scoop on the waffle maker and they mentioned that their son--a professional chef--bought it for them but they just didn't find themselves using it. Like I always tell my husband "one person's rock is another person's diamond." He laughed at me when I brought it home but let me tell you, he always asks for my waffles now.  So I have tested many recipes and this one is the best so far with a couple of adjustments. I made a double batch a couple of weeks ago for a friend of mine but it came out a little thin but they said it tasted yummy and crepe like. With that being said, I would add more flour if you like a thicker pancake/waffle. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pancake/Waffle Mix

Makes about 5 large waffles or 10 pancakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup lowfat (or regular) buttermilk

1 1/2 lowfat milk

3 tablespoons honey

Directions: Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine all wet ingredients (except honey) and give it a light whisk to combine. Then whisk in honey into wet ingredients making sure that you mix any honey that may have settled to the bottom of the bowl. Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix well however, make sure not to over mix.

My tag sale gem

Strawberry Cheesecake

For Father's Day I got a request from my Dad for a cheesecake. He always makes me laugh because he asks me "I want you to make me a good cheesecake." Of course it is going to be good--why wouldn't I give you something that tastes great? That's my Dad...

So I did some research on different recipes to see what common ingredients were used in each. I also read through the comments that other foodies posted about these recipes they made. After all that, I finally picked the cheesecake I wanted to try. It looked beautiful with a technique I have always wanted to try, the ingredients were easy and it had strawberries in it which my dad wanted. The only thing I would do differently next time I make this is not to make so much strawberry sauce--I would make a 1/3 of it. I only used the strawberry sauce on the top of the cheesecake and that was plenty. This recipe came out great though and it is definitely a keeper!

Strawberry Cheesecake
Serves 12 (I made 2 cheesecakes with this 1 recipe)
Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons white sugar -- my addition
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon water

Directions: Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine strawberries and cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons white sugar; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Set aside 1/3 cup strawberry sauce; cool. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce for serving. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk. Add lemon juice; mix well. Add eggs, beat on low just until combined. Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over crust. Drop half of the reserved strawberry mixture by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto cream cheese layer. Carefully spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over sauce. Drop remaining strawberry sauce by 1/2 teaspoonfuls on top. With a knife, cut through top layer only to swirl strawberry sauce. Bake at 300 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove side of pan. Thin chilled strawberry sauce with water if desired; serve with cheesecake. Store in the refrigerator.

Graham cracker crumb mixture pressed into bottom of one of my cheesecakes.

Strawberries, cornstarch and sugar after boiling.

Cream cheese mixture. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to avoid lumps.

Cheesecake mixture goes into prepared pan.

Decorated and ready to go into the oven.

Grilled Zucchini and Bean Salad

I love watching the Food Network channel on Saturday mornings. Being able to watch the chef prepare their meal makes it so much easier when you are finally ready to cook the dish. I recently watched the show Mexican Made Easy and discovered this delicious salad recipe. When I saw how easy and delicious this recipe was I immediately printed it out and tried it. It is not only simple and delicious, it is healthy! So I hope you enjoy this recipe because it is a keeper!

Grilled Zucchini and Bean Salad

Makes 4-6 servings

Recipe from Food Network chef Marcela Valladolid

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (I used half a jalapeno pepper)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used garbanzo beans)

1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used the small red kidney beans)

3 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices

Directions: Prepare a barbecue or grill pan to medium-high. In a medium glass bowl, whisk the lime juice, vinegar and oil until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the red onions, cilantro, serrano chiles and garlic and toss gently until the vegetables are coated. Add the beans and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the zucchinis on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini on a lightly oiled grill rack until tender, turning over once, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Add the zucchini to the bowl with the dressing and beans. Toss to combine and serve.

Zucchinis ready to go on the grill.

Creamy Feta Shrimp Scampi

Although I consider myself a foodie, it saddens me to say that I don’t enjoy eating fish too much. Don’t get me wrong, I love fried clams, a good shrimp ceviche and sometimes salmon but that is really the extent of it. However my hubby really loves seafood and since I am the chef of the house, I try to accommodate every request. So I put all feelings aside and gave this creamy feta shrimp scampi recipe a try and let me tell you, it is a keeper! I was really impressed how yummy it was. I hope you enjoy it too!

Creamy Feta Shrimp Scampi

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Glamour magazine

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1/3 cup white wine

1/4 tsp kosher salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and prepared

2 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used 3 Tbsp)

Directions: Combine butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Add the wine, salt and pepper flakes. Simmer the mixture until it is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until almost opaque, 2 minutes. Crumble in feta; add parsley and lemon juice. Simmer, stirring until the cheese melts and the shrimp is cooked through, about one minute. I served with whole wheat spaghetti which I topped with some of the sauce and parsley.

Butter, olive oil with garlic, white wine and red pepper flakes.

Shrimp goes in and 2-3 minutes you have...

yumminess.

Homemade Twix Bars

Although I love my new blog, it hasn't been so easy to keep up with it. It takes a lot of time and since I am not much of a writer, it has been a little tough. But I have to say I love making my new recipes and having them documented with pictures and notes--I never realized just how many new recipes I make. What's even crazier is that I have made so many more recipes than what is posted onto this blog but they weren't keepers. I only post the best of the best.

So as I browse some of my favorite sites like craftzine.com they regularly link to other sites or blogs. This is where I found a homemade Twix bar recipe. This sounded like a great challenge and loads of fun. This recipe did come out great but I would tweak a couple of things next time it like: make double of the shortbread recipe and half of the caramel sauce. Also I would make more of the chocolate to spread on top. Don't be discouraged by the ground rice either. All you have to do is put white rice into a food processor and then sift it. I hope you enjoy it!

Yummy "Twix" Bars

Homemade "Twix" Bars
Made about 25 bars
Recipe courtesy of PieceLoveCooking.com

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread:

1 Stick + 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, Softened

¼ cup sugar

1 ¾ cup All purpose flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons ground rice, sifted (I used white rice)

Caramel:

2 cup sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

½ cup water

1t Lemon Juice

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sweetened, condensed milk

¼ teaspoon salt

Salt, for sprinkling over caramel layer (optional)

Chocolate Topping:

1 ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

4 Tablespoons butter

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with Pam. To make the shortbread: in a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Gradually add the flour, salt, and ground rice. To make the ground rice flour, blend any rice that you have in your kitchen until it is a fine powder. Sift this rice power, so that there are no large rice pieces. After the dough is incorporated, press it into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 10 minutes until the shortbread is lightly golden. Let this cool while you make the caramel layer. To make the caramel: Combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and lemon juice in a sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil (do not whisk). Once this mixture begins to turn caramel brown, insert a candy thermometer and when the mixture reaches 300 degrees F, remove from heat and let it sit for 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream, then the condensed milk, then salt until smooth. Return the pan back to the heat, and cook until the caramel reaches 240 degrees F. Remove from heat and pour over the shortbread. Let it set at room temperature for 2 hours. For the chocolate topping: Heat the chocolate chips and butter in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is just melted, then whisk until incorporated. Spread this chocolate mixture over the caramel layer until an even, thick layer of chocolate covers the caramel. Cool in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut. Cut the Twix Bars into small rectangles. Wrap in wax paper and keep refrigerated.

The rice being sifted after going through the food processor.

Shortbread mixture ready to be pressed into pan.

Boiling caramel mixture.

Caramel pored over shortbread and ready to be refrigerated.

Glazed Salmon with Broccoli Rice

I am so proud of myself. I am trying so many different types of food even if I didn’t like it before, I am giving it a second chance. So when I saw this salmon recipe, I had to give it a shot. With brown sugar and soy sauce glaze, how can you go wrong? This recipe was delicious! The only modification I made to the original recipe was to double the amount of red onion that the recipe called for. I love onions and with this yummy sauce, it was a keeper. Enjoy!

Glazed Salmon with Broccoli Rice

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Real Simple magazine

Ingredients:

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 head broccoli, florets only, chopped (about 2 cups)

4 pieces skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 pounds total)

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4 inch-thick wedges - I used 2 large red onions

1 tablespoon olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

Directions: Heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and soy sauce. Set aside. Cook the rice according to the package directions, stirring in the broccoli during the last 3 minutes. Let the rice and broccoli stand off the heat until the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, place the salmon and onion on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Broil until the salmon is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes, spooning half the soy sauce glaze over the fish during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Serve the salmon and onion with the rice and the remaining glaze.

Salmon is prepped and ready to go into the oven with the onions.

Double Chocolate Brownies

It is pretty funny that if I ever made brownies, they were only from the box. Little did I know how easy they actually are to make from scratch. I love this recipe because it is super easy and double chocolate! What is great about them too is that they are not overly sweet and this recipe makes a great crumbly crust. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies
Recipe from Family Circle
Makes 16 large brownies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (I left these out of the recipe)
1 bag (12 ounces) chocolate chips (2 cups)

Directions: Heat oven to 350°. Line 13x9 baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving overhang. In large glass bowl, heat butter and chocolate in microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes to cool slightly. Whisk in sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes, until top is dry to the touch. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift brownie from pan with foil. Cut into squares and serve.

Brownies right before going into the oven.

Four Cheese Mac & Cheese

I have always wanted to try and make a mac and cheese but just never did. Well, when I came across this recipe my time had come. Yeah I know it probably isn't the most healthiest dish but if you only eat it once in a while it isn't too bad... The only piece of advice I would give when making this recipe is choosing your baking dish wisely. I had some family over so had this really pretty oval 9x13 pan I used. However, once the mac & cheese spread along the bottom of the 9x13 pan it was only about an inch deep. So once the mac & cheese was baked it was not as moist as I hoped. Next time I make this recipe I will use more of a 9x9 or so pan. Also, I will learn how to make a bread crumb type crust for the top of it. Overall this was a great recipe and definitely a keeper!

Four Cheese with Bacon

Recipe by Family Circle Magazine

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 box (1 pound) cavatappi

6 slices bacon, diced

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup shredded colby-Jack cheese (4 ounces)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

8 slices Kraft Deli Deluxe American cheese (6 ounces) (You can use any brand of deli cheese)

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3-quart broiler-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Cook cavatappi 8 minutes in boiling water, then drain. Meanwhile, in medium-size saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Carefully pour off drippings, returning 2 tablespoons to pan. Add butter. Whisk in flour until smooth. In a thin stream, whisk in milk. Stir in onion flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. In large bowl, toss together cheddar, colby-Jack and mozzarella. Remove milk mixture from heat; whisk in American cheese and 1 1/4 cups of the cheddar mixture. Toss bacon pieces with remaining shredded cheese. In pasta pot, combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half into prepared dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat layering. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil and broil 3 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.