Recipes for a Cold January
When it is cold outside, it feels good to warm up your kitchen with cozy smells and great food!
Banana French Toast
2 eggs
1/2 C. milk
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 banana, sliced
6 slices whole grain bread
coconut oil, to grease pan
Place all ingredients except bread in a blender and mix well. Pour batter into a shallow dish. Dip each bread slice into batter for several seconds, coating both sides. Heat coconut oil on a skillet; place bread on pan and cook over medium heat until golden on both sides. Top with additional sliced bananas if desired.
Dalgona Coffee (Whipped Coffee)
Prep Time: 5 min.
Total Time: 5 min.
Servings: 1 coffee
2 T. boiling water
2 T. instant coffee
2 T. white sugar
1 C. whole milk
Whisk boiling water, instant coffee, and sugar together until coffee is dissolved. Continue to whisk until mixture becomes thick and forms a peak, 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour milk into a glass. Pour the frothy coffee on top of the milk.
Kid-Approved Chili
Prep time: 5 min.
Cook time: 20 min.
Total time: 25 min.
Serves: 6
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 to 16 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1 pkt. McCormick Chili Seasoning, mild
1 tsp. olive oil
In a large pot, add 1 tsp. oil and brown the meat over medium heat for 5 min., breaking up the meat as you stir.
Pour in tomatoes, kidney beans and chili seasoning and stir to mix.
Cover, turn the heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook: Time: 40 min.
Servings: 14 (3-1/2 quarts)
2 qts. chicken broth
1/2-lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 C. finely chopped celery
1 C. shredded carrots
1/2 C. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 C. butter, cubed
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 C. dry white wine or additional chicken broth
3 C. cooked wild rice
2 C. cubed cooked chicken
In a large saucepan, combine the first 9 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 min.
In a Dutch oven, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Whisk in mushroom soup and wine. Add rice and chicken; heat through. Enjoy with hot baked bread!
Game-Night Nacho Pizza
Prep/Total Time: 20 min.
Servings: 6
1 prebaked 12-inch pizza crust
1 T. olive oil
1 C. refried beans
1 C. refrigerated fully cooked barbecued shredded beef
1/2 C. chopped seeded tomatoes
1/2 C. pickled jalapeno slices
1 C. shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
Optional toppings: Shredded lettuce, sour cream and salsa
Place crust on an ungreased pizza pan. Brush with oil. Spread beans over crust. Top with beef, tomatoes, jalapenos and cheese. Bake at 450° until cheese is melted, 10-15 min. Serve with lettuce, sour cream and salsa if desired.
Cookies-and-Cream Rolls
Prep Time: 55 min.
Total Time: 4 hrs., 35 min.
Servings: 12
For The Dough:
1 C. whole milk
6 T. granulated sugar, divided
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 lg. eggs
1/2 C. salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
4 C. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp. salt
Nonstick spray
For The Filling:
14 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos®
1/4 C. granulated sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. butter, softened
For The Topping:
3 C. powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter, melted
1/3 C. whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos®
For the dough: Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat to between 110˚ and 115˚ on an instant read thermometer, about 3 min. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in 1 T. of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and whisk to combine. Let the milk rest for 5 min., until it’s foamy (this is how you know the yeast has activated). Whisk the eggs and slightly cooled, melted butter into the milk.
Combine the flour, salt, and the remaining 5 T. of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the milk mixture to the bowl and stir with a spatula to combine into a messy clump. Knead the dough on medium-low speed, until it is smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5-7 min. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size.
For the filling: Place the chocolate cookies into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cream cheese, and butter. Beat at medium speed until combined.
With a spatula, scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a small amount of flour over top of the dough and roll it into a rectangle, about 12 x 18 inches. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough leaving a 1/2” border along each edge. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs evenly over the filling. Starting with a long end, roll the dough tightly towards the other long end, creating a log. Pinch the seam together and place seam side down on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 12 rolls, about 1 1/2” thick.
Place the rolls pinwheel side up, evenly spaced, in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise until the rolls are just touching each other, 45 minutes - 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the rolls to cool 10 minutes before icing them.
For the topping: Combine the powdered sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and milk until combined and smooth. Crush the chocolate sandwich cookies. Spoon the icing over the warm rolls. Sprinkle the crushed cookies over the icing.
Decadent Turtle Bars
For the Crust:
1 C. (2 sticks), butter softened
1 C. packed brown sugar
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
For the Topping:
2/3 C. butter
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 T. heavy cream
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper to make removing the bars a breeze.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt until you get a crumbly mixture. This will form a deliciously buttery base for the bars. Press it evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish, creating a smooth layer. Bake for 15-18 min., or until the crust is lightly golden brown, then set aside to cool slightly.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and heavy cream, stirring until the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble. Let it simmer for about 1 min. to thicken, then remove from heat. Stir in the chopped pecans, coating them in the caramel mixture. Pour this delightful caramel-pecan topping evenly over the baked crust.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 12-15 min., until the caramel is bubbling nicely. This step melds the caramel into the crust, creating a decadent layer that binds the pecans to the shortbread.
After removing the pan from the oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot caramel layer. Let them sit for 2-3 min. to soften from the warmth, then spread the melted chocolate evenly over the caramel with a spatula.
Allow the turtle bars to cool completely before slicing them into squares. For a clean cut, chill the bars in the refrigerator for about an hour. Once they’re ready, enjoy a sweet, crunchy bite that combines all the best flavors of caramel, chocolate, and pecans.
No-Bake Almond Bark Cookies
Submitted by: Lisa Parker
A Holiday Tradition w/ Helen Quint (Lisa’s Mother)
1 pkg. (24 oz.) almond bark
1 C. peanut butter
2 C. crispy rice cereal
2 C. dry roasted peanuts
2 C. mini marshmallows
Place almond bark in kettle, heat on low until completely melted. Add in peanut butter, cereal, peanuts, marshmallows, and stir. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper, let cool.
Thick & Creamy Coconut Hot Chocolate
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook time: 2 hrs.
Total Time: 2 hrs.10 min.
Servings: 15
3 (13 oz.) cans coconut milk - full fat
2 (14 oz.) cans of sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. of high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 C. cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. coconut extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 gal. whole milk
Whipped Cream
Toasted Coconut
In a crock pot, whisk together coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder.
Add vanilla extract, coconut extract, salt and milk and whisk again.
Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, making sure the chocolate melts.
When ready to serve, scoop hot chocolate into each cup, top with whipped cream and toasted coconut and enjoy!
Quote of the Week:
“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”
~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.