Saltine Cracker Toffee

 

1 cup butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

40 saltine crackers

2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

additional toppings like nuts, candy, or sprinkles (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread the crackers out on the foil in a single layer and fold up the edges of the foil to box in the crackers. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil for 3-5 minutes (set a timer), stirring occasionally. Quickly pour over the crackers and spread to cover completely.

Bake for 5-6 minutes in the oven. Turn off heat. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

Let stand for 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate starts to look shiny and is soft enough to spread evenly over the toffee. If the chocolate is still not warm enough to spread after 4 minutes, place it back in the oven for a minute to help soften it.

Top with any additional toppings if desired.

Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to harden. Peel away the foil and break into pieces.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

This recipe can be found here.

Chewy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

 

½ cup unsweetened toasted coconut

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

1½ cups white sugar

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. coconut extract

Zest of one large lime, finely minced

3 Tbsp. lime juice

½ cup sugar for rolling cookies

 

Toast coconut by placing a layer on a cookie sheet at 350° for 5-7 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.

Beat in egg, vanilla extract, coconut extract, lime juice and lime zest.

Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut.

Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1½ inches apart.

Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned at the bottom edges.

Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

This recipe can be found here.

Sprinkle Cookies

 

2¾ cups flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1½ cups white sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. almond extract

½ cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies) (about 1/2 cup more for rolling)

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.

Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Slowly mix in rainbow sprinkles.

Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in additional sprinkles. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Do not overbake! Cookies will still be light in color not brown.

 

Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1¼ cup flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. sea salt

3 cups instant oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and ½ tsp. sea salt. 

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.  Mix in flour mixture until combined.

Fold oats, chocolate chips, and nuts in with a wooden spoon until combined.

Drop dough by rounded Tbsp. 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a pinch of salt onto each cookie.

Bake 9-11 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring.

This recipe can be found here.

Lemon Almond Crumble Bars

 

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 large egg

1 cup chopped almonds

 

Lemon Filling:

14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

4 Tbsp. lemon zest (zest of 2-3 lemons)

½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)

2 large egg yolks

 

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper or foil and grease with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter one Tbsp. at a time and mix until the ingredients resemble fine crumbs. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.

Press 2/3 of the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is starting to lightly brown.

While crust is baking, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Gently pour over the semi-cooked crust while still warm. Spread evenly with a spatula.

Crumble the remaining crust evenly over the top of the lemon filling. (Squeeze crumbs together in hands for bigger chunks.) Sprinkle almonds on top. Bake at 375° for an additional 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly brown and the filling is set in the center.

Cool on a rack to room temperature. Then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until cold. Lift bars out of the pan. Cut and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from here

Churro Almond White Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

¾ cup salted butter

2 cups almonds

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

2 cups white chocolate chips

 

Churro Topping

½ cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

Place butter into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and swirl butter in pan to melt butter. Continue to swirl pan while butter bubbles and cooks. Watch carefully as butter browns. When butter is brown, carefully pour into a heat-proof bowl, scraping brown bits from pan too. Let butter cool for 30 minutes.

Toast almonds and let cool.  Chop into bite-sized pieces.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 330°. Place brown butter into a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugars, stirring until well combined. Add eggs and extracts stirring until well combined. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until dough forms then add white chocolate chips and almonds stirring until combined.

Place sugar and cinnamon into a shallow bowl, stir to combine.

Scoop cookie dough with a medium-size cookie scoop and gently roll into churro topping. Place onto baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake for 10-11 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a serving plate.

This recipe can be found here.

Sea Salt Lime Cookies

 

2½ cups flour

3 medium limes

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1½ cups butter

1½ cups sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp flaky sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Zest and juice limes.

Whisk together the flour, 2 Tbsp. of lime zest, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks and ¼ cup of lime juice.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.

Drop the dough by Tbsp onto the pans, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Flatten each cookie to about 1/2-inch thick.

Sprinkle the top of each cookie with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the tops appear set.

Cool on the pans for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted and doubled from here.

Malted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1½ cup flour

2/3 cup malted milk powder

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup mini chocolate chips

 

In a food processor, pulse oats about 10 times, or until you have some ground oats mixed with whole oats and smaller pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla. Then, with the mixer on low, add the oat mixture a little at a time until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Using a small cookie scoop arrange scoops of cookie dough on your cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned but the dough still looks moist in the cracks of the cookies and the tops are just set.

Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Adapted from here.

Seven Layer Cookies

 

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (10-12 whole crackers)

½ cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup butter

1 1/3 cups coconut

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir really well till thoroughly combined.

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

This recipe can be found here.

Creamsicle Cookies

 

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup butter 

1 cup sugar

1 (3 oz.) pkg orange Jello powder

3 eggs

½ tsp. orange extract

1½ cups white chocolate chips

sugar

 

Preheat oven to 375°.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes with an electric mixer.

Add Jello and continue to mix for 1-2 minutes. 

Add extract and eggs (one at a time) and mix well.

Add in flour mixture. Mix just until thoroughly combined. 

If rolling into ball, scoop the dough out by tablespoons and roll into smooth balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a measuring cup dipped in sugar. 

Bake cookies at 375° for 8-9 minutes. 

Tastes best cooled. 

*note – you can play around with Jello flavors, extract and chips to create different cookies.

Adapted from the recipe found here.

Greek Pasta Salad

 

8 oz. pasta (your choice)

1 medium cucumber, chopped

½ medium red onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (15-oz.) can black olives, drained

1 cup grape tomatoes, rinsed

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

pepperoni, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 recipe Greek Salad dressing

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese and any other ingredients you’re including. Add the cooked pasta and about 1 cup of the Greek salad dressing and toss to distribute evenly, add more dressing if needed. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Greek Salad Dressing

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup white vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. black pepper

4 cloves garlic

1 cup oil

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¾ tsp. Greek or Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. dry oregano

 In the jar of a blender, combine all the ingredients through the garlic. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and add the feta and pulse the blender a few times (more if you want a creamier consistency). Whisk in the herbs. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. 

These recipes can be found here and here.

Butterscotch, Toffee, Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

3 cups flour

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. baking powder

1 cup butter 

½ cup sugar

1½ cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk chocolate chips

¾ cup butterscotch chips

¾ cup toffee bits

1 cup ch macadamia nuts (opt)

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. I add ½ cup at a time. Mix until flour is just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee bits, and nuts.

Drop about 2 Tbsp. (or smaller) of dough onto prepared baking sheet, placing the cookies 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

This recipe was adapted from here.

Pecan Pie Surprise Bars

 

1 box yellow cake mix 

½ cup butter

1 egg

1 cup pecans chopped

 

Filling

2/3 cup reserved cake mix

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

 

Topping

1 cup pecans chopped

 

Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350°. Reserve 2/3 cup of dry cake mix for filling.

In a large mixing bowl combine remaining dry cake mix, butter and 1 egg.

Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans. Mixture will be tacky.

Wet fingers and press into prepared pan. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Filling

Using an electric mixer combine all filling ingredients together on medium speed for 1 – 2 minutes. Pour filling over partially baked crust.

Sprinkle with pecans. Bake 30 – 25 minutes until filling is set. Cool and cut into bars.

This recipe can be found here.

Cinnamon Chip Almond Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars

 

2¾ cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup butter 
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup cinnamon chips 
2 Tbsp. sugar + 1½ tsp. cinnamon
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Line 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with foil and spray with vegetable oil.

 Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Set aside.

 Toast almonds and set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Gradually add in flour mixture. Stir in the almonds and cinnamon chips.

Spread two-thirds of the cookie dough in prepared pan. Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Add the rest of the dough in dollops on top of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until set and slightly golden brown. Cool about 10 minutes in pan on wire rack.

Glaze:

While bars are cooling, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Drizzle glaze over still warm bars. Cool completely in pan.

This recipe can be found here.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 

1 cup butter, softened
2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour
¾ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, eggs, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping tsp. of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

This recipe can be found here.

Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

2½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter

½ cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits

I cup chopped nuts (optional)

 

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly. Remove from heat immediately when the butter begins to turn brown (about 8 minutes). Pour into a shallow dish and chill until it become solid, but still soft.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla. Mix in the flourmixture until just combined. Add the chocolate chips, nuts and toffee bits and mix until incorporated into the dough.

Drop by rounded 1-inch balls onto baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until edges are just beginning to brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cookies stay fresh up to 1 week in an airtight container.

This recipe can be found here.

M&M Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

3¼ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup mini M&Ms

1 cup almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.

Toast almonds, if desired.

Melt butter. Place in mixing bowl while still warm, add both sugars and mix on low until combined. Let sit to cool for a few minutes.

Mix in vanilla. Next, add eggs, one at a time.  Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips, M&Ms, and chopped almonds; stir to combine.

Chill for 30 minutes to one hour, until cooled.

Use tablespoon size cookie scoop to place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes  Let cool for 5 minutes, and then remove from pans to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

 

2 cups (4 sticks) butter

1 cup white sugar

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

4 cups flour

1 11.5 oz jar salted caramel sauce

2 cups pecans, toasted

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 325°.

Line a 13x9" baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil liberally with cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Lastly, beat in the four (4) cups of flour until a soft dough has formed. Press HALF of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate the remaining dough.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Pour the caramel evenly into the crust, distribute the pecans on top of caramel, then crumble the remaining dough on top to cover the caramel layer. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the caramel is bubbly. If the middle jiggles a little bit, this is okay - it will continue to cook as it cools.

Cool completely, then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting into squares.

The original recipe can be found here.

Lemon Chip Cookies

 

2¼ cup flour

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. lemon extract

1 cup lemon chips

½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds

½ cup butter

 

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Mix together shortening, butter and sugar. Add extract and eggs.  Add flour mixture.  Add chips and nuts.

Drop by tsp. onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.

 

This recipe can be found here.

Air Fryer Shrimp

 

1 lb. shrimp (med – jumbo)

2 tsp. avocado oil

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. paprika

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

 

Cleaning the shrimp by removing shells and veins. Run under tap water, then pat dry with a paper towel.

Mix oil with seasoning in a small bowl.

Brush shrimp with seasoning mixture on both sides.

Arrange shrimp in an air fryer basket or rack, in a single layer.

Cook at 400° for 8 minutes (no need to turn them).

Serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Disco Cookies

 

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour

1/3 cup cocoa

½ tsp. baking soda

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 large egg

1 package NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Disco™ Morsels

  

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place morsels aside in a bowl.

Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda in small bowl.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy in a large mixing bowl. Add egg, beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Scoop dough into 24 balls, using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measurer.

Dip tops of balls into morsels, making sure they stick to the dough. Repeat with remaining balls.

Place balls onto ungreased cookie sheets, morsel side up.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here

Lemon Pull Apart Rolls

 ROLLS

12 Rhodes dinner rolls, thawed but still cold

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbsp butter, melted

 

GLAZE:

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice (more or less)

 

Cut rolls in half and place cut side down in a greased 9x13" pan. Drizzle with the melted butter. Mix lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle HALF of the lemon-sugar mixture over the rolls.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise till doubled. Since the dough is still cold, it can take 2-3 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Sprinkle the remaining lemon-sugar mixture on top of the rolls. Bake at 350° for about 20-25 minutes.

 

Whisk together glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over rolls while still warm.

 

NOTES

-If you can't find frozen roll dough in your area, you can use homemade dough and it works just fine.

-If you like lots of icing on your rolls, double the icing recipe.

This recipe can be found here.

Red Lentil Soup with North African Spices

 

4 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

Salt and pepper

¾ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp.  ground cumin

¼ tsp.  ground ginger

⅛ tsp.  ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

10½ oz. (1½ cups) red lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1½ tsp. dried mint, crumbled

1 tsp.  paprika

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, and ¼ tsp. pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, and lentils and bring to simmer.

Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and about half are broken down, about 15 minutes.

Whisk soup vigorously until it is coarsely pureed, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste. Cover and keep warm. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Thin soup with water, if desired, when reheating.)

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet. Remove from heat and stir in mint and paprika. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon spiced butter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

This recipe can be found here.