Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops 

4 boneless pork chops
1 T. olive oil
1 C. parmesan cheese (I used Kraft)
1 C. Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder

On a plate combine the last 4 ingredients. Rub the pork chops with olive oil and then dip (coat) each one in the cheese mixture. Press the mixture over the pork chops to make sure they are well covered in it. Line a pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Place the pork chops on the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

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Shrimp teriyaki over rice noodles

Shrimp teriyaki over rice noodles

Ingredients
3/4 cup teriyaki sauce (use gluten-free version* for gluten-free recipe)
2 teaspoons lime juice (or lemon juice)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon red chili paste [optional] or any other spicy red sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
20-24 shrimp (count), peeled and deveined, with tails still attached (if desired)
1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds [optional]
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed in 1 teaspoon of hot water [optional]
cooked rice noodles or cooked rice

Instructions
1.Combine teriyaki sauce, lime (or lemon) juice, minced garlic, honey and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir to combine. You might want to warm honey in a microwave before adding to the sauce to make it softer.

2.OPTIONAL: At this point, you can also mix in 1 teaspoon of red curry paste if desired.

3.Place shrimp in a large ziploc bag. Add half of the teriyaki mixture to the bag and secure the top. Toss shrimp in the bag to make sure all shrimp is coated with the sauce. Marinate for about 15 minutes, no longer.

4.Heat vegetable or olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, add shrimp from the plastic bag (but without the sauce) and cook for 2 minutes, turning once (about 1 minute per side). Add all the sauce (from the bag and from the bowl) into the skillet and continue cooking the shrimp on high heat for 1-2 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens.

5.OPTIONAL: Mix in toasted sesame seeds into the sauce, in case your teriyaki sauce did not have any or if you want extra.
6.OPTIONAL: If you want a thicker sauce, at this point dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in about 1 tablespoon of water. Add this mixture to the boiling sauce in the skillet and stir well while boiling - the skillet sauce should thicken. Do not let the sauce boil for more than about a minute, otherwise the shrimp will become too tough and rubberish.

7.Cook rice noodles or rice according to package instructions. At this point, you can add rice noodles (or rice) to the sauce in the skillet and stir fry shrimp and the noodles/rice all together in the sauce. Or, you can just use plain cooked rice noodles (or rice) as a bed for shrimp and the sauce. It's up to you. I prefer the latter!

8.Make a bed of the rice noodles (or rice) in individual serving plates. Spoon shrimp and the sauce on top.

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Roasted cornish hen and vegetables

Roasted cornish hen and vegetables 

Ingredients
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons smoked paprika + just a bit more
2 teaspoons chili powder 

1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup chicken stock
salt (at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons, or more)
4 Cornish game hens, rinsed, patted dry
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin stripes
1/2 cup chicken stock and a little bit more if needed
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 450 degree Fahrenheit.

2.Rub the insides of Cornish hens with salt and pepper and 3 minced garlic cloves.

3.In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, chili powder, cumin, remaining minced garlic, 1/4 cup chicken stock and stir well to combine. Use 2/3 of this mixture to rub all over the outside of Cornish hens. Sprinkle the desired amount of salt over the outside of the hens. Sprinkle a very small amount of additional paprika over the hens (for color).

4.Toss carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes in the remaining 1/3 of the mixture to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5.Transfer vegetables to the large roasting pan. Place hens breast sides up on top of vegetables. Add a little bit of chicken stock on the bottom of the pan to prevent vegetables from burning.

6.Roast Cornish hens at 425 Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 Fahrenheit. Combine 1/2 cup of chicken stop and 1/2 cup of white wine and pour the mixture over the hens and into the bottom of the roasting pan. Continue roasting at 350 degrees for 15-20 more minutes, basting hens with pan juices, until hen juices run clear.

7.Transfer hens and vegetables to a platter. Make sure to pour juices from the hen cavities into a roasting pan. Cover hens with foil. Transfer the sauce from the roasting pan into a smaller saucepan and boil it down a little bit to thicken, if desired. You can also dissolve a little bit of cornstarch in water and add it to the boiling sauce to thicken it. After hens sit under the foil, pour juices from rested hens back into the sauce you just made. If desired, add more chicken stock to the thickened sauce.

8.Serve Cornish hens whole or cut in half.

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Apple crumb coffee cake with caramel sauce

Apple crumb coffee cake with caramel sauce 

Ingredients

Cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of salt
3-4 medium apples, cored and chopped

Crumb topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup (or more) flour, sifted
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Optional:
caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.In a medium bowl, beat 6 tablespoons of very soft, room temperature butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 2 eggs on high speed for about a minute until fluffy and light in color. Add Greek yogurt and beat some more to combine.

3.In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and just a pinch of salt.

4.Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in chopped apples.

5.To make crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup flour and mix to combine. Add 5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and mix until the mixture is very crumbly and has coarse texture. Add more flour if necessary.

6.Grease 9x13 inch baking pan or 9 inch springform pan. Pour cake batter into the pan and top with the crumb topping. Bake for about 50 minutes until the toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

7.Optional: Drizzle with caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche

Ingredients

Cake:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of salt
3-4 medium apples, cored and chopped

Crumb topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup (or more) flour, sifted
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Optional:
caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche

Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.In a medium bowl, beat 6 tablespoons of very soft, room temperature butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 2 eggs on high speed for about a minute until fluffy and light in color. Add Greek yogurt and beat some more to combine.

3.In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and just a pinch of salt.

4.Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in chopped apples.

5.To make crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup flour and mix to combine. Add 5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and mix until the mixture is very crumbly and has coarse texture. Add more flour if necessary.

6.Grease 9x13 inch baking pan or 9 inch springform pan. Pour cake batter into the pan and top with the crumb topping. Bake for about 50 minutes until the toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

7.Optional: Drizzle with caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche

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Frosted Rocky Road Bars

Frosted Rocky Road Bars

Ingredients
1 box milk chocolate cake mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup candy-coated chocolate candies, if desired
1/3 cup chocolate frosting

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, stir together dry cake mix, butter, water, brown sugar and egg until well blended. Stir in nuts; spread in pan.

2. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and golden. Sprinkle with candies.

3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds. Drizzle over bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For easier cutting, use plastic knife dipped in hot water. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store loosely covered.

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Soft and Chewy Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft and Chewy Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 heaping cup Snickers, diced small and loosely piled in measuring cup (or another variety of candy including M&Ms, Milky Way, Peanut Butter Cups, Rolo, etc.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes).

Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

Add the Snickers, chocolate chips, and beat momentarily to incorporate, or fold in by hand.
Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping mounds (I made 26). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly with your palm, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, parchment, or spray with cooking spray. and place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet). Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked with dough that had been chilled overnight, allowed to come to room temp for 15 minutes, and were baked for 8 minutes, with trays rotated at the 4-minute mark. They have chewy edges with soft, pillowy centers). Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Store cookies airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

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Oreo Banana Pudding

Oreo Banana Pudding

Serves: 10

Ingredients

1 lb pkg. Oreo cokies
2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
3 cups cold milk
3 medium bananas, sliced
2 Cool Whip containers

Instructions
Crumble Oreos and place in the bottom of a large bowl*. Top with layer of banana slices.
Prepare pudding with milk and spread over banana slices. Top with Cool Whip. Repeat all layers one more time.
Smooth Cool Whip over the pudding and top with crushed Oreo cookies. Chill and serve.

Notes
* Instead of one large bowl, you can make individual servings in small dessert bowls or glasses.

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