Chocolate French Macarons

Molten Lava Cakes

Original Recipe from Bon Appetit  https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/bas-best-molten-chocolate-cake

(Makes 6 individual cakes)

6 T. heavy cream

11 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Divided 3oz for ganache/ 7.5oz for cakes)

9 T. butter

4 large eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

4 1/2 T. flour

1/2 tsp salt

Ganache: heat chocolate and cream in double boiler until smooth. Chill until smooth, about one hour. Shape into 6 balls and return to the fridge.

Preheat oven to 425*

Butter the ramekins.

Combine 9 T. butter and remaining 7.5 oz chocolate and melt over double boiler or in the microwave. Beat eggs and brown sugar about 4 minutes. Add vanilla. Fold in flour and salt.

Divide half the batter into the ramekins, place ganache, and put the remaining batter in the ramekins. Bake 13-15 minutes until tops are firm but cakes wobble. Let cakes cool 30 seconds before plating.

French Dip (Sarah Dunn)

1 (3-pound) cross rib, rump, or eye-of-round beef roast
1 (10 3/4-oz) can beef consumme
1 1/2 cups water
1 Good Seasonings Italian dressing packet
1 au jus gravy packet (any brand will do)

sliced Swiss cheese (for melting)
hoagie buns (to toast)

Place roast in a crockpot. Whisk ingredients together and pour over roast. Cook on high in the crockpot 6-8 hours or until you can easily shred with a fork.

Place shredded meat on hoagie rolls and top with Swiss cheese. Broil sandwiches open-faced until cheese is melted and rolls are browned. Serve with strained au jus mixture.

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins (5BoysBaker)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin purée
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and  preheat to 350°F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners (or you can spray with cooking spray instead).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until well combined. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
4. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix! Divide the batter evenly among the muffin wells (they will be at least 3/4 full).
5. Bake until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the center one comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 18 to 22 minutes.
6.  Let the muffins cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan.  (If you greased the pan, run a thin knife around each muffin to loosen it from the pan first if needed.) Serve warm or at room temperature.

Easy Chili (Sarah Dunn)

1 pound ground beef or turkey
2 cans 8-oz tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 package (1 1/4-oz) McCormick Chili seasoning
for toppings:
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
chopped onions, sour cream, chips

Cook ground beef in skillet until done. Then add everything into a slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours or on high for 45 minutes.

Big Fat Double Chocolate Cookies (Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

INGREDIENTS

•  1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces), cold butter straight from the fridge cut into tablespoon-size pieces (I use salted butter)
•  1 cup (7.5 ounces) lightly packed light or dark brown sugar
•  1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar
•  2 large eggs, cold from the refrigerator
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
•  1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour
•  1/2 cup (1.75 ounces) dark or Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1 1/2 to 2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cold butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Start the mixer on low (the butter will fly around a bit since it's cold) and gradually increase to medium speed. Mix for 4-6 minutes until the mixture is creamy and very well-combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined and the batter is light in color, 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together (and so the dry ingredients don't fly everywhere). When just a few dry streaks remain, add the chocolate chips or chunk and mix just until combined and there are no dry spots.
4. Scoop very large balls of dough (I measured out about 4-4.25 ounces for each cookie) and place several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. I did five cookies per sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes until set on the outside but still soft in the middle. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets to cool for 5-7 minutes before removing. These cookies are amazing warm (with ice cream), chilled, or at room temperature.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies (5 Boys Baker)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cold butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips (*see note)
• 2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped (*see note)

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the cold cubed butter, brown sugar, and sugar 3 to 4 minutes or until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one.
3. Stir in both flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined (don’t over mix). Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).
4. Separate dough into 4-oz balls and place on cookie sheets, 4 cookies per cookie sheet. 
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Let them rest for 15 minutes to set up.

Volume 90%

NOTES

• I am not a fan of nuts in cookies, so I leave them. But you have to replace the volume of the nuts so the cookies will hold their shape. I add an extra 1/3 to 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and an extra 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.
• Cake Flour can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. I usually buy it in bulk at Winco because it’s super inexpensive there. If you can’t find it or don’t want to buy any, you can make your own. Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of the all-purpose flour and place it back in your flour container. Replace the 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch then sift the flour 4 to 5 times.

Amber's Kitchen Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 large butternut squash, (About 3 cups of cooked squash)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3, 14.5 oz. cans hunts fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (herb blend, not my jar seasoning that I previously posted)
1/2 -1 cup heavy cream, *optional .
.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from each half. Place both sides cut-side-down in a 9x13 baking dish. Add enough water to come about 1/4 inch up the sides of the squash. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for one hour, or until it is fork tender. Let cool a few minutes, then scoop out the flesh from the skin, and plop it into a blender. (The squash can be cooked in advance, and cooled in a container in the fridge for up to 4 days before using.)
.
While the squash is cooking, in a medium pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Scoop the onions and garlic into the blender with the squash. Add one cup of broth. (*note depending on your size of blender this may need to be done in two smaller batches. Be careful that hot ingredients when blended can expand and leak out of the blender) blend well, then add back to pot with the remaining broth and seasonings. Then add the tomatoes to the blender, blend well and add to squash/broth. Heat over a medium flame for about 10 minutes, stirring often. If adding cream, reduce heat to low and add cream to avoid the cream from curdling. Serve immediately. Enjoy! .

Opulent Chicken

8 chicken breasts
8-10 oz. sliced swiss cheese
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 T. Lemon juice
8 oz. sour cream
2 cups crushed ritz crackers
1/2 cup butter

DIRECTIONS

• Clean and skin breast and place in bottom of 9X13 dish. cover completely with sliced cheese.
• Mix together soup, sour cream and lemon juice. Pour over top of chicken covering completely.
• Mix cracker crumbs with butter and sprinkle over the top of sauce.  (Crumbs should cover sauce completely).
• Bake at 275 for 2 1/2 hours uncovered.
• (You may want to put a drip pan underneath depending on how full the dish is).

Mom's Wassail

1/2 gallon apple cider
1 cup lemon juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp. whole cloves

Boil juices. Add spices in cheese cloth. Add sugar just before serving.

Apricot Chicken

4 chicken breasts
6 oz. Russian dressing
1/2 pkg. Lipton onion soup
1/2 cup apricot jam

Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Serve over rice.

10 minute Key Lime Pie

1/2 cup lime juice
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. cool whip
9" graham cracker crust
lime and whipped cream for garnish

In large bowl whisk together lime juice and condensed milk. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into filled crust and refrigerate until firm 4-5 hours. (I prefer it frozen!)

Brownies for a Crowd

8 eggs
2 t. salt
2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
4 cups sugar
4 t. vanilla
3 cups flour

Frosting: 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup cocoa, enough milk to make the consistency you want.

1. Beat eggs with mixer. Then add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat 1 minute.  Add melted butter and blend.
2.  In another bowl mix flour and cocoa and whisk. Mix everything together.
3. Spread on greased jelly roll pan 12x17 and bake 350* for 20-25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and spread with frosting.

Makes 30 brownies

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts
1 egg, beat
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 t. pepper
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350*
Mix flour, parmesan and pepper.  Dip chicken in egg and shake in flour mixture in a plastic bag. Spray skillet and heat 1 T olive oil over medium-hi heat. Heat chicken 5 minutes each side. Put in a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Pour spaghetti sauce over and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
Bake 30 minutes and serve over pasta

Sheet Pan Chicken Pot Pie

From 5boysbaker.com

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups chopped carrot
• 1 1/4 cups chopped celery
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 4 cups shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 1/4 cupS frozen corn (or peas)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts, room temperature (just one of the crusts)

---

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray a small 10×15 jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in broth and flour, stirring until combined. Add cream and continue stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in chicken, corn (or peas), and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16×11 rectangle. Cut dough into 11 (1-inch-wide) strips. Arrange dough strips in a lattice pattern on top of filling. Trim dough strips, and gently press to seal. Using a pastry brush, brush the pie strips with the beaten egg.
5. Place jelly roll pan inside a larger sheet pan and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

---

NOTES

If you don’t want to take the time to cut strips and form a lattice top, then you can just lay the entire pie crust on then using a sharp paring knife, put a few slashes in the center or the crust to allow the steam to escape.

Make sure you place the jelly roll pan with the pot pie inside of a larger sheet pan.  This will catch any juice that may bubble out while baking.