Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs, 
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Red Wine Hot Chocolate
c/o ImmaEatThat

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
2. 1 cup red wine (I used Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon)
3. 1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
4. Optional: coconut whipped cream

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and chocolate chips.

Whisking constantly until chocolate is melted into milk and you have a thick

and creamy chocolate milk. Pour in red wine and heat until everything is hot.

Pour into 2 mugs or 6-8 smaller glasses and top with coconut whipped cream.

Skillet Lasagna

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 package Marie Callendar's Family Recipes Zesty Tomato
• 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
• water, as called for on package
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons powdered Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks.
2. When meat is just slightly pink, stir in the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until meat is cooked through. Drain fat and return to pan.
3. Add the package of pasta, seasoning, diced tomatoes, and water to the skillet and stir to combine.
4. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 14 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
5. Stir together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of parsley.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
7. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the pasta.
8. Cover and let sit for 3 minutes or until cheese has melted.
9. Sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.

Peppermint Patty Brownies

c/o Real Simple

Ingredients

Canola oil

1 box brownie mix

16 mini York Peppermint Patties

Directions

1. Oil an 8-inch square pan. Prepare the brownie batter according to the package directions.
2. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Top with the peppermint patties, leaving an even border of batter all around the edges of the pan.
3. Spread the remaining batter on top and bake according to the package directions. Let cool, then cut into 16 squares.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Black Velvet
c/o Real Simple

Ingredients
3 ounces of a stout beer
3 ounces of dry sparkling wine

Directions

1. Pour stout into a large champagne flute. Slowly top with sparkling wine and stir gently.

Cheesy Buffalo Mushroom Poppers

c/o Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno, finely diced
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup flour (rice flour for gluten-free)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• buffalo hot sauce to taste
• ranch or blue cheese dressing to taste

Directions

1. Chop the mushroom stems, mix with the cheeses and jalapeno and stuff the mixture into the mushroom caps rounding the filling off so that it and the mushroom form a complete and smooth ball (about 1 teaspoon per mushroom).
2. Dredge the mushrooms in flour, coat in egg followed by the breadcrumbs.
3. Heat enough oil to cover the mushrooms in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the them until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side, before setting aside on paper towels to drain.
4. Enjoy with buffalo hot sauce and ranch dressing!

Banana Bread Donuts

c/o Buns in My Oven

Ingredients

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla, and melted butter until well combined.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the donut pan and bake for 13 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.
7. While the donuts are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk.
8. Drizzle glaze over cooled donuts.
9. Serve immediately.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,
Here are some spooky recipes for your Halloween.

Vampire Punch
c/o Real Simple

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Campari 
1/2  cup gin
1/2 cup orange juice 
3 cups club soda, chilled  
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 orange thinly sliced

Directions

1. Combine the sugar and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar has completely dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Let it cool.
2. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine the Campari, gin, orange juice, and sugar syrup; chill for up to 12 hours. Just before serving, add the club soda, pomegranate seeds, and orange. Serve over ice.

Sour Cream and Chive Crackers 

c/o SP Cookie Queen

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1 cup shredded fontina cheese

4 tbsp. butter, cold, cut in 1/2" pieces

2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup sour cream

Small amount of black sesame seeds

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor place flour, salt, pepper (optional if your little ghouls don't like any spice), and the cheese, pulse one or two times.  Add butter and pulse a couple more times until mixture is looking crumbly.  Add chives and sour cream and pulse until the mixture is starting to ball up.

Substitution:
I used fontina cheese, but parmesan or white cheddar would also work well.

Place cracker dough in a covered bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/4" thick and cut out with small ghost shaped cutter and place them 1/2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.  Place two black sesame seeds for eyes and one for the mouth.  I love mini cutter sets such as these, your local craft store is a good source too.

Bake 13-15 minutes.

Spooky Brookies

c/o Shugary Sweets

Ingredients

For the brownie layer:

1 box (18.75 oz) Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix (makes an 8x8inch pan)

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 large egg

For the cookie layer:
• 16 Halloween Oreos
• 1 pkg (16.5oz) Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (in the refrigerated tube)
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate morsels
• 32 candy "eyes"

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 or 9inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Mix ingredients for brownies in a large bowl using a whisk. Mix until just combined. Pour into bottom of baking dish, spreading so batter goes all the way to the sides.
3. Top with 16 Oreo cookies.
4. Breaking the chocolate chip cookie dough into chunks, drop by tablespoons onto the brownie/Oreo layer. Continue until all cookie dough is used, and brownies are nearly covered.
5. Top with extra milk chocolate morsels (optional).
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Press "eyes" onto melted chocolate chips. Allow brookies to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight). Cut into 16 bars. ENJOY.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs! Here are some of my favorite recipes this week.

Parmesan and Garlic Linguine
c/o Lauren's Latest

Ingredients
1/2 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced 
lots of salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid from pasta
3/4 cup freshly grated parmigianno reggiano
fresh parsley, for garnish {optional}

Directions
Bring large pot of water up to boil. Sprinkle in a generous amount of salt and stir in pasta. Cook linguine until al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Place linguine back into hot pot and stir in butter, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and cheese until butter and cheese start to melt and create a sauce. Pour in some pasta water to get the sauce to the consistency you want. {I only used about 3 tablespoons.} Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Pour onto serving platter and top with fresh parsley and more grated cheese.

Cheeseburger Skillet Pie with Tomato Salad
c/o Real Simple

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  pound  ground beef
• 1  14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 1/2  cups  biscuit mix, plus required ingredients
• 4  ounces  Cheddar, grated (1 cup)
• 1 1/2  pounds  assorted fresh tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1  small shallot, thinly sliced
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes (with their juices) and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes more.
2. Prepare the biscuit mix according to the package directions. Drop 8 mounds of the dough onto the meat mixture in the skillet and sprinkle with the Cheddar. Bake until the biscuits are golden and cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the fresh tomatoes, shallot, parsley, vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Serve with the cheeseburger pie.

Bacon Jam and Guacamole Quesadilla with Fried Egg with Bacon Jam Vinaigrette Drizzle

c/o Closet Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 (10 inch) tortilla
• 1/2 cup cheese such and cheddar and/or jack, shredded
• 2 tablespoons bacon jam
• 2 tablespoons guacamole
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon bacon jam vinaigrette (see below)
• 
  
• Directions
• 1. Place the tortilla in the pan, sprinkle half of the cheese over half of the tortilla, top with the bacon jam and guacamole and the remaining cheese.
  2. Fold the tortilla in half coving the filling and cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2-4 minutes per side.
  3. Fry the egg and serve on top of the quesadilla with a drizzle of bacon jam vinaigrette.
  
  
  
  
  bacon jam vinaigrette 

  Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons bacon jam
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste

  Directions

  1. Mix everything well.