King Ranch Chicken

Butter, for the baking dish

One 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup 

One 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup 

One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles, such as Rotel

2 Tbsp. chili powder 

½ tsp. ground cumin 

½ tsp. kosher salt 

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chicken broth 

16 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 

1 roasted whole chicken, cooled and torn into chunks

1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced 

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced 

1 jalapeno, finely diced 

1½ cups grated sharp Cheddar

1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the soups and diced tomatoes and chiles. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Then stir it all together.

Line the bottom of the baking dish with half of the torn tortillas. Layer on half the chicken. Add half the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Sprinkle on half the cheese and pour on half the soup mixture. Then repeat the layers.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake until bubbling, another 15 minutes.

To make ahead and freeze: Fold foil over the unbaked casserole and freeze until solid. Then, lift the foil-topped casserole out of the pan, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap and freeze until needed. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, put the foiled-topped casserole back into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and thaw. Bake at 350° following the baking instructions above.

This recipe can be found here.

Pecan Pie Bites

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp. butter softened

1 egg yolk

½ tsp. vanilla

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

FILLING

1 cup finely chopped pecans

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray 36 mini muffin pan cups with no-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Combine ½ cup brown sugar, butter, egg yolk and ½ tsp. vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.

Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls; place each into prepared mini muffin pan cup, pressing dough onto bottom and up one-third sides of each cup, creating a shallow cup.

Combine all filling ingredients in bowl; spoon 1 tsp. filling into each cookie.

Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 10 minutes in pan on cooling rack.

Remove cookies from pans by running small knife around edge of cookie. Place onto cooling rack; cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Caramel-Toffee 7-Layer Cookies

½ cup butter, melted

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup caramel bits

1 cup bittersweet (dark) chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits

1 can (14 Oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup sliced almonds

1 pinch sea salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 11 x 7 baking pan. 

Stir together melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into prepared pan. 

Add the other ingredients in order: caramel bits, chocolate chips, and toffee bits. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top. Add the almonds. Sprinkle on a pinch or two of salt. 

Bake for 25–30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  

This recipe can be found here.

Holiday Gingerbread Mini Loaves

2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ginger

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

¼ tsp. salt

1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 c. molasses

1 c. hot water

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease loaf pans with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, whisk molasses and hot water until combined. Stir into egg mixture. Gradually stir flour mixture into egg mixture, forming the dough.  Stir in nuts

Pour batter into loaf pans, filling it 2/3 of the way up. Bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool 20 minutes before removing from pan; cool an additional 30 minutes.


This recipe can be found here.

Sea Salt Caramel Chip Chocolate Cookies

½ cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened

¾ cup light brown sugar packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1-2/3 cups HERSHEY'S Sea Salt Caramel Flavored Baking Chips (10-oz, pkg.)

Heat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.

Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture, blending well. Stir in caramel chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookie is set. Do not over bake. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.


This recipe can be found here.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

16 oz. canned unsweetened pumpkin

3½ cups flour

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cloves

2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350°.

Butter and flour 2 9 X 5 loaf pans or 16 mini loaf pans.

Stir together sugar and oil. Stir in eggs and pumpkin.

Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Blend dry ingredients and water into wet mixture, alternating.

Divide batter between pans.

Bake for 60-70 minutes for 9X5 pans or 30 to 40 minutes for mini loaf pans or until cake tester comes out clean.

Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool.

*optional - 1 cup toasted walnuts, broken into bits

This recipe can be found here.

Mexican Cinnamon Cookies

2¾ cups flour

2 large eggs

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups sugar

½ cup shortening (or unsalted butter)

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 tsp. Mexican cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat butter, shortening, and 1½ cups sugar at medium speed until creamy. Beat in vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Sift into butter mixture and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, stir together cinnamon and 3 Tbsp. of sugar.

Scoop 1 Tbsp. of dough and roll into a ball. Toss in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

This recipe can be found here.

Molten Lava Cakes

Baking spray, for spraying custard cups

1 stick butter

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 oz. semisweet chocolate

1¼ cups powdered sugar

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°. Spray four custard cups with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

Microwave the butter, bittersweet chocolate and semisweet chocolate in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.

Whisk until the chocolate is also melted. Stir in the sugar until well blended.

Whisk in the eggs and egg yolks, then add the vanilla.

Stir in the flour. Divide the mixture among the custard cups.

Bake until the sides are firm and the centers are soft, about 15 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Invert on individual plates while warm and serve with vanilla ice cream.

This recipe can be found here.

Banh Mi Tacos

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

1 ½ lbs.  pork tenderloin
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup honey
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
1½ tsp. minced garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

Pickled Vegetables

1 cup each thinly sliced radishes and carrot shreds
2 cups peeled, sliced cucumbers
1 jalapeno pepper (remove the seeds and white membranes for milder flavor)
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup warm water
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste

Spicy Mayonnaise

½ cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
½ tsp. garlic

Herb Mix

½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup fresh chopped mint
4 green onions, chopped

6 (6-inch) whole-wheat tortillas 

Place pork tenderloin in a large zip-top bag. Add marinade ingredients to a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat 30 seconds. Whisk together and reserve ¼ cup of marinade. Pour remaining marinade over pork tenderloin, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

1.    About an hour before serving, toss the vegetables in a medium bowl. Whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until salt and sugar are dissolved, then pour over vegetables. Season to taste with black pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.   Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat. While grill is heating, whisk together spicy mayonnaise ingredients and place in a squeeze container or a small zip-top bag. Set aside.

3.   Toss together the herb mix and set aside.

4.   When the grill is hot, place the pork tenderloin on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip the tenderloin and cook for 6 minutes. Leave the lid closed and turn off the heat. Allow tenderloin to stand for 5 minutes. The tenderloin should measure about 155 degrees F. internally.

5.   Remove pork from grill, place on a plate or plastic cutting board and lightly cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Allow tenderloin to rest 3 to 4 minutes.

6.   To serve, slice tenderloin into 1/4-inch slices against the grain. Drizzle the reserved marinade over sliced pork. Place 2 ounces of pork in each whole-wheat tortilla, then top with pickled vegetables. Cut the corner off the zip-top bag of spicy mayonnaise and squeeze about ½ Tbsp. onto the taco.

7.   Top with herb mixture and serve immediately.

This recipe can be found here.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

3¼ cups all-purpose flour

3½ tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ + 1/8 tsp. salt

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground allspice

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 large egg yolk

¾ cup canned pumpkin puree

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice: set aside.

Cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until just combined. Mix in egg yolk, then mix in pumpkin and vanilla extract. On low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients; mix until just combined. (You can chill the dough)

Preheat oven to 350°.   In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup granulated sugar with 3 tsp. cinnamon. Scoop tablespoon size dough ball, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to evenly coat then transfer to lined baking sheets spacing cookies 2-inches apart. Bake 12 - 14 minutes (they should look just slightly under-baked as they'll cook slightly once removed from oven).

Cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup half-and-half

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, while whisking gently, until thicker, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Pour the sauce into a jar and refrigerate until cold.

This recipe can be found here.

Potato Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

4 cups crushed potato chips (8 ounces), such as Lay's

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed until just combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt, then mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and 2 cups of the crushed potato chips. Put the remaining 2 cups crushed potato chips in a shallow bowl.

Roll the dough into 2-inch balls, then roll them in the remaining potato chips so they are completely coated. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


This recipe can be found here.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bacon Cookies

6 slices maple-cured bacon, chopped

1½ cups white sugar

1 cup softened butter

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

¾ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat an oven to 350°.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble.

Beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl until fluffy and smooth. Add vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time.

Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the chocolate chips and bacon.

Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Sour Cream Drop Cookies

½ cup shortening

1½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

FROSTING:

4 Tbsp. butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

6-8 teaspoons hot water

In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Drop by Tbsp. 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 425° for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

This recipe can be found here.

Shrimp and Tomato Sheet Pan Supper

1 lb. Jumbo Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes

4 cloves Garlic, Very Thinly Sliced

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 whole Lemon, Halved

Preheat the oven to 400°

Put the shrimp, cherry tomatoes and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until the shrimp are opaque and the tomatoes begin to burst, 10 to 12 minutes. Finish with a generous squeeze of lemon.

Serve with salad, bread, or pasta!

This recipe can be found here.

Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

9 corn tortillas

1 15-oz. can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp. packed fresh cilantro

½ small chipotle chile in adobo, plus 1 tsp. sauce from the can

½ tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more for the dish

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed; about 8 ounces)

½ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Diced avocado and sliced scallions, for topping

Preheat the broiler. Tear 1 tortilla into pieces and transfer to a blender. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, cilantro, chipotle and adobo, and cumin; puree until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pureed sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Meanwhile, coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with vegetable oil. Mix the chicken, sour cream, 1/2 cup of each cheese and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Warm the remaining 8 tortillas in the microwave as the label directs. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up to enclose. Arrange side by side in the prepared baking dish and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Broil the enchiladas until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Broil until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with avocado and scallions.

This recipe can be found here.

Dark Cocoa Spice Cookies

2½ cups flour

½ cup unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cardamom

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1½ cups dark brown sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. coconut extract

Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, and

salt in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at

medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and coconut

extract. Add sifted flour mixture and mix well.

Gather dough into ball and divide into 4 equal pieces. Shape each

piece into 6-inch long log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 to

4 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 325°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Slice

each log into 16 cookies. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets and

bake 12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire

racks; cool completely.