Monkey Bread Muffin Cups

These yummy little muffin cups taste like cinnamon rolls, but couldn't be simpler to make. They would be perfect for a holiday morning or a weekend brunch.

2 tubes of biscuit dough (20 biscuits total)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

6 T butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cut each biscuit into 4ths. You should have 80 little pieces of dough. In a ziplock bag, combine sugar and cinnamon. Then add pieces of dough and shake around until all are totally coated. Divide dough between muffin cups. (I put around 7 in each cup.) In a saucepan, boil the butter and brown sugar. Put a spoonful over each muffin cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes or until baked through. Remove from muffin cups and cool slightly. Can add optional frosting. Makes 10-12 muffins, depending on how many pieces of dough you use for each cup. They are very tasty, especially when warm!

Frosting:

2 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar

milk for consistency

Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits

For the biscuits:

1 3/4 cups flour
1 TBSP plus 2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBSP vegetable shortening
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
6 oz grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk

For the garlic butter:

3 TBSP butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly mis a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Make the biscuits: Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a foo processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter; pulse 4 or 5 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a dough. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough. Drop the dough onton the baking sheetin 1/4 cup portions, 2 inches apart and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the hot baked biscuits with the garlic butter and serve warm.

Cinnamon-Chocolate Fudge by Giada

-Butter for greasing the pan
-1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 pound bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips
-3 TBSP butter
-Kosher salt for sprinkling

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 baking pan.

In a medium glass bowl, combine the condensed milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Put the bowl on a saucepan over simmering water and mis until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth. Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle with salt. Refigerate at least 2 hours until firm.

(I really liked the taste that the salt added. Surprising!)

Sweet Raspberry Muffins

This is a great little muffin recipe. It's easy, tasty, and I made it with ingredients I always have on hand!

2 cups biscuit/baking mix (Bisquick)
2 T sugar

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp warm water

1/4 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and sugar. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles course crums. Stir in milk just until moistened (batter will be thick). Spoon about 1 T of batter in 12 muffin cups. Top with 1 tsp jam. Spoon remaining batter (about 1 T each) over jam. Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Remove muffins to a wire rack. Drizzle with glaze. Makes 12 muffins.

Food Storage Crepes

(For a crepe lovin' fool like myself, these turned out perfect!!!)

4 eggs (1/4 cup dry powdered eggs + 1/2 cup water)
1 cup flour
1 cup milk (3 TBSP dry powdered milk + 1 cup water)
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients into blener, then mix until smooth. Pour batter onto skillet, tilt pan to evenly coat bottom with batter. Cook over medium heat until brown, then turn to brown the other side.

Pecan-crusted Chicken with Sweet Mustard Dressing

This is a great recipe. Easy enough to prepare on week-nights, but elegant enough for the week-end. Makes 4 servings

Chicken:
1 egg white
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb chicken tenders or chicken breasts
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Dressing and greens:
1/4 cup peach preserves
2 T stone-ground mustard
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp blsck pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 T vegetable oil
4 cups mixed baby greens

For chicken, lightly beat egg white in bowl. Finely chop pecans and place in second bowl. Combine salt and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Slice chicken into 10-12 pieces. Sprinkle cayenne pepper mixture over chicken. Dip chicken into egg white, then into pecans, pressing pecans into chicken.

Add oil to skillet. Heat over medium heat 1-3 minutes. Cook chicken 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown. Turn chicken over. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until centers of chicken are no longer pink.

For dressing, whisk together preserves, mustard, vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic, and oil in small bowl. To serve, toss greens with some of the dressing. Drizzle remaining dressing on cooked chicken strips.

Maple-Butter Blondie Sundaes

(This is my favorite dessert from Applebee's...luckily I found this copycat recipe in the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine).

For the blondies:

10 TBSP butter, at room temperature
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 TBSP vanilla
6 oz white chocolate (chips or chunks)

For the topping:

1/3 cup maple syrup
6 TBSP butter
1/4 cup heavy cream

Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Walnut pieces for garnish

Make the blondies: Preheat the oven to 350. Pulse 1/2 cup walnuts in food processor until almost fine. Wisk the ground nuts, four, baking powder and soda, and salt in medium bowl.

Beat butter and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 mintues. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients. Fold in the white chocolate and the remanining walnuts.

Spread the batter in a 9x13 pan and bake for about 30 minutes. (I did mine at 28 and they were a little too crunchy on the ends...

For the topping: Place the maply syrup and butter in a small suacepan over medium heat and cook until the mixture bubbles and thickens, swirling the pan, about 6 minutes. Add the cream and continue to cook until the mixture is like caramel.

Serve blondies warm with ice cream, topping, and nuts.