Cookie Dough Truffles (AKA Jingle Balls)

Cookie Dough Truffles

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (mini chips work great!)

14 oz candy coating (or chocolate to melt)


1. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add milk and vanilla. Beat until mixed.
2. Stir in flour and salt. (Or use the mixer on low speed.)  Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Chill dough for 1 hour, covered.
4. Form 1" balls, placing on a wax lined cookie sheet.  Freeze for half an hour.
5. Melt candy coating (or chocolate) according to package directions.  Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip each ball in the candy coating.  Chill until set.
6. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes: Wilton has over a dozen colors of candy melts, so you can coordinate them with holidays or just go with plain chocolate.  They are fairly easy to make, but they do require planning ahead for all the chilling and freezing time.

Recipe Origination: Vince Romanelli posted it on my FB page back in 2011, and I finally got around to making them last Christmas.  I should done it sooner - they're delicious!  It's from eat-drink-smile.com

Apple Bread

Apple Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples (tart work best, like Granny Smith)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2-3 tsp cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.  Grease two 9" x 5" bread loaf pans.
2. By hand, mix flour, baking soda, salt and apples in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, eggs and cinnamon.
4. Pour oil mixture into flour mixture and stir just until all ingredients are moistened.
5. Divide mixture evenly between two pans.
6. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  

Notes: You can substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour (white whole wheat if you have picky kids) and reduce the sugar to 1 cup if you want to make a healthier version.  You can also add a cup or so of chopped walnuts if nuts are your thing.  (They are not my thing!)

Recipe Origination: Experimentation until I came up with something that bakes nicely and my family asks for!

Breakfast Egg Bake

Breakfast Egg Bake

1 lb pork sausage (diced up ham, bacon, or meatless also work)
1 chopped bell pepper (we like red)
1 medium onion, chopped (we like white)
2-3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (or tator tots)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups milk
4 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook sausage, peppers and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Drain.  Combine sausage mixture, potatoes and 1 cup of cheese in a greased 13x9 baking dish.
3. Stir flour, baking soda, milk and eggs together.  Pour into baking dish.
4. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 1-2 minutes until melted.

Notes: This dish makes 10-12 servings and is great for holidays and get togethers!

Recipe Origination: A Bisquick box (you can use 1 cup of Bisquick instead of the flour and baking soda.) 

Ham and Greens Pasta

Ham and Greens Pasta

8 oz. orechiette or campanelle pasta
6 oz. cooked ham, diced (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp blackening season
8 oz torn kale leaves
1/2 cup shaved Asiago or Parmesan cheese

1. In a 4 quart Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions,  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.  Set pasta aside.

2. In the same Dutch oven, cook ham over medium-high heat until browned, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic, butter and blackening seasonings; cook and stir 2 more minutes.  Stir in pasta, reserved pasta water, kale, and cheese.  Cook and stir until heated through and greens wilt.

Notes: This will feed 2-3 adults a full meal.  If you don't have blackening seasonings, use a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper, and mustard.

Recipe Origination: "Better Homes and Gardens" with minor tweaks

Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Stew

Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Stew

3/4 pounds hot sausage
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans
Fresh basil, if desired

1. Cut sausage into nuggets and brown over medium heat for 5-ish minutes.
2. Add carrots and onions and continue cooking 3-5 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink.
3. Stir tomatoes, broth and garlic into sausage mixture.  Drain and rinse beans; add to mixture.
4. Simmer stew, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until veggies are tender.
5. Top with basil, if desired, and serve hot.

Notes: This makes 4-6 servings and is delightful on a cold day!  Both Sean and I find it hearty enough to stand on its own as a meal.  For the hot sausage you can use Italian links or a tube of the hot breakfast sausage stuff (stuff is it's technical name).  Just make sure to remove any casings.

Recipe Origination: Pampered Chef "29 Minutes to Dinner" with some tweaks

Butter Cut Out Cookies

Butter Cut Out Cookies

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

1. Cream together butter and sugar.
2. Add egg and blend.
3. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda.  Slowly add to butter mixture and blend.
4. Chill dough for an hour.  Roll out on a floured surface to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  (Time really varies depending on thickness of dough and size of cut outs.)

Notes: The dough is really fragile, so roll using a lot of flour.  If it sits out for too long and becomes unmanageable, throw it back in the fridge for another 15 minutes.  These are great for decorating!

Recipe Origination: This is Grandma Wuolle's recipe.  She made them for us all the time!

Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust
1-1/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (about 20 cookies)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Several squares of a Hershey Bar

1. Combine the crust ingredients.  Press into a 9" pie plate.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool completely.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth.  Gently fold in whipped cream (you want to keep it airy).  Carefully spoon into crust.
3. Make thin slices of the Hershey bar (usually on the side of a cheese grater) to top the pie.
4. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

Notes: The pie tastes just as good with reduced fat cream cheese and half the sugar in the filling.  I strongly recommend not altering the heavy cream, though.  It really is best with that!  If you've never made your own cream before, it's pretty easy.  Here's a simple video: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/baking/whip-cream-00000000002253/.  You might even break a sweat!  Also, you can use chocolate graham cracker crumbs to make the crust.

Recipe Origination: Doris Doherty