❤️ Mama T's Cookbook ❤️

To my beautiful kids. Here are recipes that you grew up with to keep your bellies full and your hearts warm. Nana taught me to make these, now its your turn.

Love, Mom

🍗 Chicken Rings

****Ani's Favorite Meal****

Ingredients:

  • 2 whole chicken breasts (cooked and cubed - I cube while raw, sprinkle with salt and cook in a fry pan
  • 2 TBSP Finely chopped Onion
  • 3 TBSP Crumbled Bacon
  • ¾ cup of Swiss Cheese (chopped into little squares)
  • ½ cup Mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 packs (8 oz) Crescent Rolls (16 pieces total)

Directions:

  • On a baking sheet, make a large ring with the fat side of each triangle from the crescent roll on the inside of the ring.
  • Place a glob of the chicken mixture on the ring where each triangle overlaps the next.
  • Fold the triangle over towards the center of the ring

Bake 375° Degrees for 20-25 minutes! Cut up and enjoy!!!!

🌶️ Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps

~Serves 5-6 People

01

Prepare the sauce

Mix soy sauce, sambal oelek, brown sugar and fish sauce in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside half of it for drizzling on the wraps, the rest will go in the meat when cooking.

02

Cook aromatics

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add scallions, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.

03

Brown the meat

Add ground meat of your choice and lightly season with salt. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and tossing occasionally until meat is cooked through, 5-7 minutes

04

Finish and serve

Add reserved soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring until liquid is reduced. Serve with lettuce and extra sauce to add to the wraps!

Ingredients:

  • 6 TBSP Soy Sauce
  • 3 TBSP Sambal Oelek or Sriracha
  • 3 TBSP Brown Sugar
  • 3 tsp Fish Sauce
  • 3 TBSP Vegetable oil
  • 3 Scallions, white and pale green parts thinly sliced
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 Lb Ground chicken, pork or turkey
  • Kosher salt
  • Butter Lettuce Leaves. (separated, cleaned and dried)

🥟 Empanadas

Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 T Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp salt / ½ tsp pepper
  • Frozen pie crust, defrosted in fridge
  • 1 egg

Directions:

  • In large saute pan on medium heat, cook Ground Beef, Onion and Green pepper in a little olive oil for about 8 minutes
  • Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Let cool
  • Lay out the pie crust and cut it into 4 pieces, onto a greased cookie sheet.
  • Place a spoonful of the cooled down meat mixture onto each square, folding it in half and leaving a one inch border ( try not to break the crust)
  • Press edges to seal
  • Brush pastry with beaten egg yolk to add the shiny texture
  • Bake in preheated 400° oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is browned

Serve with chips and a salad

🍝 Lasagna

Cheese Sauce:

  • 2 TBSP Butter: Melt on Medium in a pot
  • 2.5 TBSP Flour after butter is melted
  • 2 cups of Milk
  • 4 slices of American Cheese
  • Sprinkle of Nutmeg
  • 2 handfuls of shredded mozzarella Cheese

Meat Mixture:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

- Cook Cheese sauce in a pot. Cook Meat Mixture in a large pan - Take 9x13 pyrex baking dish and spread a spoonful of meat mix on the bottom - Add no bake lasagna strips to cover - Spread with Meat sauce - Spread cheese sauce - Repeat and sprinkle top with shredded mozzarella - Bake at 375° degrees for 35 minutes

🌯 Chicken Enchiladas

~Serves 5 people

Ingredients:

  • Onion, chopped
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • Can Black beans
  • 1 cup Shredded Jack Cheese
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Tortillas
  • 1 can Green enchilada sauce
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Mexican spices

Directions:

  • Saute a chopped onion in olive oil
  • Poach two chicken breasts in water and spices, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Mix sauteed Onion, cut up chicken, black beans, sour cream and cheese in a bowl. Add more spice
  • Place a good amount in each tortilla and roll up
  • Spread a layer of green Ench. Sauce along bottom of a 9x13 pyrex dish
  • Place rolled up tortillas in the dish and pour the rest of the sauce on top
  • Cook 350° for ½ hour

~Serve with Tortilla chips and a salad

🥙 Chicken Schwarma

~Serves 5-7 people

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts and 4 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
  • Juice of 2 Lemons
  • ½ cup + 2 TBSP Olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 2 tsp ground pepper
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp Hot paprika
  • 1 tsp Tumeric
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1 large Red Onion, quartered
  • 2 T flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Prepare the marinade for the chicken:

  • Combine Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, garlic, salt and pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl (or a large ziploc bag). Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in fridge 1-12 hours
  • Heat oven to 425°. Use the 1 TBSP olive oil to grease a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Add the quartered onion to the chicken and stir to coat
  • Spread chicken/onion evenly on rimmed baking sheet
  • Roast in oven for 30 minutes (check that chicken is cooked throughout)
  • Remove from oven and let chicken rest for a few minutes
  • Slice and serve with pan juices.

Serve with:

  • Pita, Rice (optional)
  • Tomato, cucumber, feta salad
  • Plain greek yogurt cut with a spoon of Mayo, Lemon juice and flecks of garlic

🌮 Carnitas

~Serves a crowd

Ingredients:

  • 1 (6 lb) pork butt roast
  • 1 ½ TBSP salt
  • 1 TBSP dried Oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chile powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP Olive Oil
  • Can diced tomatoes
  • Jar of picante/salsa
  • Beef or chicken stock
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, diced

Directions:

  1. Trim fat from pork butt; Cut pork into 2 inch cubes; Transfer to a bowl
  1. Combine salt, oregano, cumin, black pepper, chile powder, paprika
  1. Rub pork cubes with spice mixture
  1. Brown cubes in Dutch oven in a TBSP of Olive oil
  1. Add Onion and garlic, Stir
  1. Add salsa, tomatoes, and enough stock to cover the meat.
  1. Add ¼ tsp each of salt, pepper and cinnamon
  1. Cover and put in a 275° oven for 3-3.5 hours.
  1. Remove pork to baking sheet, shred with 2 forks, place in 400° for 15 mins
  1. Add back to Dutch oven with juices, stir to combine

*Serve with tortillas, cheese, avocados, salsa….

🌶️ Chili and Beer Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can chili beans
  • 1 can of beer (room temp.)
  • 1 pkg of chili seasoning mix

Directions:

  • Saute diced onions in 1 tbsp oil
  • Add beef and brown
  • Add seasoning pkg and stir to coat the beef
  • Add can tomatoes, and both cans of beans and can of beer
  • Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 mins.
  • Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onions, hot sauce, sour cream and any other toppings

🍞 Beer Bread

01

3 cups self rising flour

3 TBSP sugar

02

1 can beer at room temperature

Mix all ingredients with wooden spoon

Pour into greased loaf pan

Bake 350° for 1 hour 15 minutes

Butter and serve while hot

🍗 Tia Mo's Mustard Chicken with Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 15 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Sliced swiss cheese
  • A bag of small red potatoes
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 6 TBSP Dijon Mustard
  • 3 TBSP Honey
  • 1 TBSP Fresh Thyme

Directions:

  1. Mix together Dijon, Honey, green onions, Thyme
  1. ¼ each red potato and mix in a bowl with Olive oil and S&P
  1. Spray a 9x13 pan/pyrex dish:
  • Spread chicken and potatoes out evenly
  • Salt and pepper to each chicken thigh
  • Cover each thigh with the mustard mix
  • Add a slice of swiss to each chicken piece
  • Cover with tin foil
  • Bake 375° for ½ hour
  • Take off foil and broil for 5 mins max until chicken is browned

🍗 Chicken Marbella

"Great crowd recipe"

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts, pounded and cut in half (can add more)
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled and pureed
  • ¼ cup dried Oregano
  • ½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • ½ cup Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Pitted Prunes
  • ½ cup Pitted Spanish Green Olives
  • ½ cup Capers with a little juice
  • 6 Bay leaves
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup white wine

Directions:

  • Salt and Pepper each chicken breast
  • Combine ingredients up to and not including Brown sugar in Lg bowl or 2 Large ziploc bags evenly spread out
  • Marinate overnight
  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Arrange in one or two baking pans, sprinkle brown sugar and wine
  • Bake for 1 hour, basting.

*Serve with Salad, Rice and Baguette

🌯 Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

~Serves 6+ and maybe leftovers

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 boneless Chicken breasts
  • 1 envelope of Taco Seasoning
  • 2 cups mild Chunky Salsa
  • 1 can Black beans, drained
  • 1 can Corn
  • Small can Black Olives
  • 2-2 1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar
  • 12 Flour tortillas
  • 2 cans mild Enchilada Sauce

Directions:

  • Throw chicken, Seasoning, Salsa into crockpot
  • Cook on low for 4-6 hours
  • Add Beans and corn hour before finished
  • Remove chicken pieces, shred chicken, add back to the crockpot along with 2 cups cheese and stir to combine
  • Pour can of enchilada sauce into a pie plate
  • Dip each tortilla into the sauce, add filling, roll into a tight burrito, place into a sprayed casserole dish. Pour unused sauce and cheese on top of rolled enchiladas
  • Cover with foil and bake in a 400° oven for 20-30 minutes.

*Serve with sour cream, avocado, salsa and chips

🥩 Marinated Pork Tenderloin

"Double or Triple Recipe for Christmas Dinner"

Ingredients: (4 people)

  • 2 ½ pound pork tenderloin
  • 3 T soy sauce
  • 3 T sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6 T Dark Rum
  • 8 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 T grated ginger
  • 3 T minced green onions

Directions:

  • Place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag and marinate overnight
  • Bake in 325° oven for 1-1 ½ hours (internal temp of 160•)

*Serve with rice, Mango Chutney (from Trader Joe's), asparagus or brussel sprouts, and baked apple

How to make baked apples: (4 people)

  1. Two large Granny Smith apples, cut in half crosswise and cored
  1. Dot butter in each half and a mix of 2 T raisins and ½ tsp nutmeg
  1. Place apples in dish with a bit of water and microwave 5 minutes
  1. Mix ¼ cup vanilla yogurt and 1 T orange marmalade, spoon over apples

🥘 Nana's Paella

Ingredients: Must purchase a Paella Pan

  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 green Pepper, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Olive Oil
  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into 2"chunks and salt/pepper all sides
  • 1 large tomato, peeled and cut up
  • Dried Spanish Chorizo, sliced and cut in halves
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ½ lb mussels
  • ½ pound scallops
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
  • Arborio Rice
  • Seafood Broth (can substitute chicken broth)
  • Saffron and Sea Salt (If you can't find saffron use 2tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp tumeric

Directions:

  1. Saute Onion and Green Pepper in ½ cup olive oil (in paella pan) on Medium heat
  1. Add minced garlic cloves and saute
  1. Add salted chicken chunks, Chorizo slices, tomato, and frozen peas

- Turn off burner and let the paella pan sit

  1. In separate pot, warm up seafood broth (2 cups rice = 4 cups broth)
  1. In mortar, grind ¼ tsp Saffron with ¼ T Sea salt and add to the broth
  1. Turn the paella burner on to medium, pour rice in evenly and saute for 5 minutes
  1. Add the boiling broth to the paella (save a little for later)
  1. 375° oven for 15 minutes
  1. Take out the paella and add shrimp, scallops and mussels (submerge into liquid and use the rest if necessary)
  1. Back in oven for 12 minutes/ let it rest covered for 10 minutes

🥗 Mediterranean Salmon-Veggie Bowls

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Quinoa, Kosher Salt to taste
  • 1 ½ lbs Salmon Fillet
  • ¾ cup + 1 T Olive Oil (OO)
  • Black Pepper, to taste
  • 3 Lemons
  • 3 T minced shallot
  • 1 English Cucumber, chopped
  • 3 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
  • ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
  • 6 oz (or more) feta cheese, crumbled
  • Chopped dill for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  • Bring 3 cups slate water to a boil in medium saucepan
  • Add Quinoa, boil, reduce to simmer, cover & cook 12 minutes. Set aside
  • Preheat oven to 425°
  • Line baking sheet with foil, add salmon, brush with 1 T OO, sprinkle 1 tsp salt & ½ tsp pepper
  • Bake 10 minutes (until cooked through)
  • Grate zest of 1 lemon and then squeeze the lemon's juice over the salmon, flake it with a fork into chunks
  • Squeeze juice of other 2 lemons into a small bowl and whisk with shallot, zest, ¾ cup OO
  • Divide quinoa into bowls. Top with Salmon, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Olives, Feta and drizzle with dressing. Option to garnish with dill

**Serve with warm pita bread

🌮 Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

"Easy, no frills recipe"

Ingredients:

  • 3 T Olive Oil (OO) + more
  • 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
  • 3 bell peppers (any color) cut into strips
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 T white wind vinegar
  • 4 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 2 T lime juice (1 lime)
  • Cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 425°, lightly grease baking sheet with OO or spray
  • In a large bowl, combine chicken, peppers, onions, OO, vinegar, all of the spices. Toss until combined and well-coated. Spread evenly on the sheet.
  • Place in oven and bake 20-25 mins until chicken is cooked through
  • Remove from oven and mix in lime juice and cilantro
  • Serve in warm corn or flour tortillas with sour cream, avocados, salsa, etc…

🐟 Yummy Salmon

Ingredients:

  • 4 (6oz) Salmon Filets
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
  • ¼ tsp Blackening Seasoning (optional)
  • 3 T butter
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 6 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ cup Honey
  • 3 T water
  • 3 T Soy Sauce
  • 1 T Sriracha
  • 2 T Lemon Juice

Directions:

  • Rinse and pat salmon dry, then season with second 4 ingredients
  • Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat broiler
  • In an oven-safe skillet, add butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and Lemon juice for 30 seconds
  • Add salmon, skin side down (if it has skin). Frequently spoon the sauce from the pan over the salmon
  • Broil salmon for 5-6 minutes, basting with sauce once and during the broil until salmon is caramelized and cooked through

**Serve with rice, side of brussel sprouts

🍝 Talleyrand

"Childhood comfort food"

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups elbow macaroni
  • 1 ½ lb lean ground beef
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can Tomato Sauce
  • 1 can of water
  • 2 cups grated cheese
  • S&P to taste
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • ½ tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 2 Cloves of garlic

Directions:

  • Grease a 9x11 casserole dish
  • In frying pan, do the following:
  • Brown the meat, onion and garlic until the meat is all cooked through
  • Add Tomato sauce, water, noodles and spices, combine
  • Then add corn and cheese, combine
  • Pour it all into the greased casserole dish and bake 350° 45 mins

- Recipe can be halved!

*** serve with garlic bread and a salad

🍲 Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 T Olive Oil
  • 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken breast halves, cut into chunks and salted
  • 1 ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 T ground cumin
  • S&P to taste
  • 1 Red and 1 Green Bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2-3 15 oz cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 14 oz cans Diced Tomatoes with liquid
  • 1 15 oz can corn, drained
  • 1 small can black olives
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided (optional)
  • Shredded Monterey Jack

Directions:

  • In Large Pot over med-high heat, saute onion and chicken chunks in OO for 5 minutes
  • Add Garlic, Spices, Peppers and saute 5 more minutes
  • Add Broth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
  • Add Black Beans, Tomatoes, Corn, and Olives, simmer 15 minutes
  • Stir in ¼ cup Cilantro and remove from heat

*Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Serve with chips

🍜 Fuckin' Pad Thai

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

  • 1 (8 oz) pkg rice noodles
  • 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • 6 tsp peanut oil
  • 2 heads baby bok choy
  • 6 T fish sauce
  • 2 tsp creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 pkg firm tofu
  • 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 6 tsp crushed peanuts

Directions:

  • Cook rice noodles, per instructions on the pkg. Drain and set aside
  • In a deep pan over medium heat, cook chicken in the peanut oil (1 minute per side)
  • Add the bok choy leaves and cook for 1 more minute
  • Add fish sauce (hold breath - smells bad but makes it taste good), peanut butter and sugar
  • Make a well in the center of the pan, crack the eggs into the middle and scramble softly
  • Add tofu, sprouts, and scallions and stir it all up!
  • Add the cooked noodles, stir in, heat through and remove from heat.
  • Garnish with lime wedges and crushed peanuts

Serve with warmed naan bread

🦐 Jambalaya

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (or any spicy sausage)
  • 1 T Olive Oil
  • 2 Green bell peppers, diced
  • 2 ribs Celery, diced
  • 1 White Onion, diced
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Large Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 Lb Long grain rice

Directions;

  • In large stock pot over high heat, cook the sausage in the oil til browned (5 mins), remove from pot and set aside
  • Add peppers, celery, onion, scallions and garlic and season with S&P, let it caramelize for about 10 minutes
  • Stir in rice, cooked sausage, tomatoes, 3 ½ cups water and more S&P
  • Boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with a lid until the rice is tender ~ 25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes

*Serve with baguette

🥔 Spanish Tortilla

Ingredients:

  • 5 russet potatoes OR 7 Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 5-6 medium eggs. (Enough to make the potatoes a little liquidy when you mix together)
  • 2 Tsp Kosher Salt
  • Approx 1 1/2 to 2 cups olive oil

Directions:

  • Peel and slice the potatoes (using the mandolin at 2" thickness)
  • Slice onion using mandolin
  • Heat approx 1 cup olive oil in medium sized nonstick skillet 🍳.
  • Add Half of the sliced potatoes, half of the sliced onion and 1/2 tsp of salt — sauté together until very soft, yet not browning — continuously stir —add OO if it gets soaked up
  • Repeat with the rest of the onion/potatoes
  • While sautéing potato mixture, crack 5-6 eggs 🥚 into a medium sized bowl— stir them up and add 1 tsp salt. Set aside
  • Gradually remove soft potatoes/onion mix —using a slotted spoon to squeeze out the excess OO into the pan. Add to the bowl with eggs
  • Mix together potatoes and eggs — be sure there is a bit of liquid in the mix or add another stirred up egg
  • Clean out ALL the tidbits left in the pan — to avoid sticking
  • Add 1 -2 TBSP OO to the clean pan (enough to cover the pan) - heat up using medium/high heat
  • Pour entire mixture into pan — if sizzling a lot, turn down heat
  • Shake pan to make sure it is not sticking—also use a spatula around the corners to round them out.
  • Cook for about 5-7 minutes making sure that it is not sticking or browning too fast
  • Place a plate (slightly bigger than the pan) over the tortilla flip it over quickly and slide it all back onto the pan.
  • Use a spatula to round out the corners and kinda get under it too to avoid sticking. 5 -7 more minutes on this side.
  • Flip it on the plate and voila!

* Cut like a pie or in tiny squares with toothpicks. Enjoy warm or cold

🍠 Sweet Potato Boats

Serves 2 people

Ingredients:

  • 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, halved lengthwise and scored in a checkered pattern
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 (15oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 handfuls of Baby Spinach
  • 1 T Honey
  • Sauce: *1 T tahini or Sunflower butter *2 tsp Dijon Mustard

*2 tsp honey *½ T Balsamic Vinegar

*½ T Lemon Juice *¼ tsp salt

*⅛ tsp pepper *1 T water

  • Toppings: ¼ cup crumbled Feta, 2 T pumpkin seeds

Directions;

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Drizzle OO on the bottom of a sheet pan and place the sweet potatoes face down. Drizzle the tops with OO and salt. Bake 20-22 minutes
  • While sweet potatoes roast, add chickpeas to a medium bowl, then add olive oil, honey, salt and paprika. Toss and set aside.
  • Remove sweet potatoes from the oven, flip them over and move them to one side of the sheet. Add chickpeas to the other side. Bake for 10-13 minutes, tossing halfway until chickpeas begin to brown.
  • While chickpeas roast, combine the sauce ingredients.
  • Remove the sheet pan from oven and take out the sweet potatoes
  • Add the spinach to the pan, drizzle with olive oil and salt. Place in the oven for 3 minutes until spinach wilts.
  • Remove pan from oven, toss to combine. Add a spoonful of spinach/chickpea mix to each potato. Drizzle with sauce, then top with feta and pumpkin seeds. Voila!

🍪 Kia's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups + 2 T unbleached, all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 Large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1-1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Flaky Sea Salt (optional)

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325°
  • Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together both sugars and melted butter with a mixer until well blended.
  • Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla into the sugar mixture until combined.
  • Mix flour mixture into sugar mixture. Combine and stir in choc. Chips.
  • Scoop cookies (not tight balls), they should be loose and rough looking
  • Bake approximately 14-15 minutes, turning the sheets around ½ way through
  • Cookies should appear underbaked (wet in the middle). Cool cookies on the baking sheets and peel off the paper.
  • Sprinkle salt flakes on each cookie if desired…

🍮 YUMMY Cracker Pudding

Gilliland family tradition with holiday meals

Ingredients

1 QT Milk (whole milk)

3 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup cracker crumbs (saltines)

3/4 cup coconut

1 Tsp vanilla

Directions

  • In heavy pot over medium heat, beat egg yolks and add sugar
  • gradually add milk and cracker crumbs
  • stirring slowly until thick.(this can often take a long time,it is best if you just stir slowly and wait until that happens).
  • After it thickens, remove from heat, add coconut and vanilla, combine.

If you want the meringue on top, use the 3 egg whites, add 1/4 cup sugar and beat to a meringue. Place in the oven at 400° for 5 minutes or until the meringue is just a bit brown.

*Enjoy as a side dish with turkey dinner!

🍫 Caramel Chocolate Bars

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups softened butter
  • 1 package of kraft caramels ( 65 pieces)
  • Small can of evaporate milk
  • Bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  • Mix the first 6 ingredients (through butter) in a large bowl until well combined
  • Spread a little less than ½ of the mixture in bottom of 9x13 pan
  • Bake 350° for 10 minutes
  • While baking crust, unwrap and melt caramel with 10 tbsp of evaporate milk in a pan until smooth
  • Remove crust from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips in all corners too (do not spread)
  • Cover the chips with the melted caramel
  • Sprinkle the rest of the flour mixture on top
  • Bake 20 minutes longer
  • Cool and cut

🥜 Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Ingredients:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 ¾ cups of All-purpose Flour
  • 1 ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp fine Salt
  • 1 cup smooth Peanut Butter (Not Natural)
  • 12 T (1 ½ sticks) unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1 ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 T Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Peanut Butter chips
  • 50-60 Chocolate Kiss Candies

Directions:

  • Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 375°. Coat 2 Baking sheets with Nonstick Spray
  • Combine Flour, Baking Soda and Salt in a medium bowl, set aside
  • With an electric mixer, beat Peanut butter, Butter, Shortening on medium-high for 1 minute until smooth
  • Add Brown Sugar and continue to beat (4 minutes) until light and fluffy
  • Add the Eggs and the vanilla, beat until incorporated
  • Add the flour mixture in two batches and beat on Medium until incorporated. Fold in the PB chips.
  • Scoop out level tablespoons of dough, roll into balls and space about 2" apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake until the bottoms and edgeof the cookies are golden brown but the middle are still soft, about 10 minutes. Indent the warm cookies with the rounded bottom of a teaspoon. Top each with a chocolate kiss candy.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

🍰 Nana's Famous Rum Cake

"Christmas Cake"

Ingredients:

  • 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (Duncan Hines)
  • 1 small Package Instant Vanilla Pudding
  • 4 Eggs
  • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
  • ½ cup Water
  • ½ cup Dark Rum
  • 1 cup Broken Pecans
  • For the topping: ½ cup Butter, 1 cup Sugar, ¼ water, ¼ cup dark rum. Bring to a slow bubbly boil.

Directions:

  • Beat the first 6 ingredients at medium speed for 10 minutes
  • Grease and lightly flour a Bundt pan
  • Sprinkle 1 cup of broken Pecans over the bottom carefully
  • Pour in the batter and bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
  • Flip the cake over onto a platter that has enough tin foil covering gathered at the bottom of the cake, so that you can pour the rum topping and let it soak up on the bottom.
  • Make holes in the cake for the rum sauce to soak in. Pour boiling sauce over the cake.
  • Let it sit 24 hours

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