Friday Foodday

Happy Friday from the lake! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Raspberry Daiquiri

c/o Baking Beauty

Ingredients

• 4½ Teaspoons Raspberry Simple Syrup (Recipe Below)
• 4½ Teaspoons Lime Juice, Freshly Squeezed
• ¼ Cup Rum
• Ice
• Raspberry Simple Syrup Recipe: (I used ¼ Cup of Each)
• 1 Part Sugar
• 1 Part Water
• 1 Part Raspberries

Directions

1. For the Raspberry Simple Syrup 
2. In a small saucepan, add sugar, water, and raspberries. Cook over medium low heat until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Strain, and store in the refrigerator.
4. For the Raspberry Daiquiri 
5. Pour raspberry simple syrup, lime juice, rum, and ice into a cocktail shaker (or mason jar). Shake until combined.

Chicken Parmesan Mac and Cheese

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

3 cups (12 ounces) rotini pasta, uncooked
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
7 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups (10 ounces) Wisconsin mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Wisconsin parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 cup basil, for garnish

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook rotini according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pasta water before draining. Drain pasta and lightly rinse with cool water to stop cooking process. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat large saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Heat until bubbling heavily; add half the chicken slices in single layer and sauté until deep golden brown on one side. Flip; cook other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Repeat until slices have been cooked. Set aside. 

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour; whisk to form a paste. When bubbly and golden brown, slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture simmers. Remove from heat. Add 2 heaping cups shredded mozzarella; stir until melted. Mix in pasta. If mixture is too thick, add some of reserved pasta water. Stir in chicken.

Pour half the mac and cheese into buttered single serving dishes or 9x13-inch baking dish. Distribute half the marinara sauce evenly over the top. Layer with remaining macaroni and cheese and marinara sauce. 

In small bowl, melt remaining butter. Stir in bread crumbs and parmesan. Sprinkle crumbs over macaroni. Bake 10-15 minutes for single servings or 15-20 minutes for larger portions, until crumbs are golden brown and the macaroni is heated through. Garnish with basil.

Cake Batter Blondies

c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

FOR THE BLONDIES:

• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cake mix
• 1/4 cup sprinkles

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp yellow cake mix
• 2 Tbsp sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar with melted butter. Add in egg, vanilla and salt. Mix until blended. Add in flour and cake mix, stirring JUST until combined. Fold in sprinkles.
3. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
4. While blondies are cooling, prepare the frosting. Beat butter with milk, powdered sugar, and yellow cake mix. Once smooth, spread over cooled blondies. Add sprinkles. (I used a combination of fun sprinkles and rainbow chips). ENJOY!