Carrot Cake Cookies

Recipe from Mastering The Menu

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking power
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 finely grated carrots (about 3 large ones)
1 cup raisins (if you like them- I don't so I leave them out)

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
1 cup powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking power, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture. mix on low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until browned and crisp, about 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a spatula, spread about 2 teaspoons of frosting onto flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich together with remaining cookies

Cookies can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 3 days.

Cream cheese frosting:
Place cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add butter and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in powered sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

My variations:
I used our cream cheese frosting and I piped the frosting into the cookies instead of spreading with a spatula.

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

Recipe from Sister's Cafe
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 Haas avocados, diced

shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar
crispy tortilla strips

Stir shredded chicken in with the BBQ sauce until well coated. Of course you can use less or more sauce, it's up to you! I like quite a bit since I love the smoky flavor of BBQ sauce in a salad. Toss together the lettuce, cilantro, corn, beans, and chopped veggies. Top with shredded chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. Drizzle ranch or cilantro lime dressing over salad and enjoy!

*to make crispy tortilla strips simply slice about 10 corn tortillas in narrow strips and place on cookie sheet. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray and sprinkle generously with salt. Place under the broiler and let bake until crispy and brown around the edges. 

My variations: I did not have corn tortillas so I made my tortilla strips with flour tortillas.  Still really good.

Lemony Lemon Bars

MmmMMmmmMMM these are SOOO good!! Not overly sweet- and just the right amount of pucker. Enjoy!!

Crust:
3 C flour
1 1/3 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 C butter
Filling:
6 eggs
1 3/4 C white sugar
6 T flour
1 C fresh sqeezed lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
Powdered sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan.
Combine flour, powdered sugar, and butter. Press down into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. While the crust is baking whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.
Return to oven for an additional 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Spiced Oyster Crackers

Got this one from Jenna, who got it from Sister's Cafe. SO easy and yummy!!

2 packages oyster crackers

¾ cup canola oil

Hidden Valley ranch dressing dry mix

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp dill weed

1 Tbsp lemon pepper

Heat oil in microwave until luke warm. In the meantime, combine all dry ingredients. Drizzle oil over oyster crackers. Mix in dry ingredients. Shake or stir to coat. These are better a day or two after you make them.
(I mixed it all in a gallon ziplock and it worked great!)

These are great for toting along for kids' snacks. They are also perfect for game night or just munching!

Homemade Mac ‘n Cheese

(sorry about the bad pic - I'll try and take a better one next time)

Okay, here's the thing, I don't know any exact measurements.....

Cook your macaroni (or any fun noodle shape you like)

Butter
Flour
Milk
Grated cheddar cheese
Cottage cheese

In a separate pot make a roux by first melting about 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Then add about 1-2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until it's all combined. Let it cook for a second. Then pour in milk, gosh, maybe like ¾ a cup to a cup. I never measure it. Bring to a soft boil, then add grated up cheese (to your taste - about 1 1/2 cups or more!) sharp cheddar is awesome, so is Monterey-Jack. Once all cheese is incorporated gently fold in about 3/4 cup of cottage cheese (or more!)
Then drain noodles and put them back into the pot they boiled in for a sec. It's still hot and helps the water evaporate quickly. Then add your sauce over top, mix well and serve! This is VERY tasty with sliced, RIPE tomatoes on top as well.
For a fun twist put cheese fish crackers on top. The kids will love it!
Enjoy!!

Pomegranate Fruit Jello

2 6oz pkg. cherry jello

2 pomegranates, seeded (reserve 1/3 C)

2 apples, peeled, cored, chopped (any kind)

1 20 oz can crushed pineapple

1 15 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

Topping

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

12 oz Cool Whip

1/3 C sugar

Mix jello according to directions. Pour into a 9x13 pan and place in the fridge. Let set up partially and then mix in the pomegranate seeds (reserve 1/3 C), chopped apples, crushed pineapple, and cranberry sauce. Put in fridge until firm.

Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top. Sprinkle reserved pomegranate seeds on top. Chill until ready to serve.

This is Jessie's recipe and it is soooo good! It's crunchy and not too sweet and very festive.

Macaroni Grill’s Bread

1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1.5 tablespoons rosemary or a good Italian seasoning
1 tablespoons butter

Place yeast, sugar and water in bosch and allow mixture to become bubbly.
Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups flour
Add 1 T rosemary or Italian seasoning
Knead for about 5 min.
Add additional ½ cup flour if needed
Let dough rise covered for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Divide dough in half and shape into two rounded loafs
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray
Place two loafs onto cookie sheet
Sprinkle additional seasoning/rosemary into top of dough and press lightly into dough
Let rise again until double, about 40 min.
Cook in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 min, until lightly brown.
Serve with EVOO and balsamic vinegar.