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.

Almond Toffee Squares

 

1½ cups flour

½ cup powdered sugar

¾ cup sliced almonds

1 cup cold butter

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (6-ounce) package milk chocolate English toffee bits

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, sugar and ¼ cup almonds in bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, toffee bits, egg and vanilla in bowl. Pour mixture over hot, partially baked crust. Top with remaining almonds. Continue baking 23-27 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Cut into squares.

This recipe can be found here.

Life Cereal Cookies

 

2¼ cups flour

1 cup crushed Life cereal

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 tsp. vanilla

3 large eggs

1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips

 

In a small bowl, combine flour, cereal, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

 

In a large bowl, combine softened butter, sugars, pudding mix, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

 

Gradually add in flour mixture. Gently fold in white chocolate chips. Do not over mix!

 

Drop by rounded, heaping, teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 8-10 minutes. 

This recipe can be found here. 

Homemade Sausalito Cookies

 

1 cup butter

1 cup turbinado sugar or ½ cup each light brown sugar/white sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 3/4 cup flour

2 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup salted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer mix the butter and both sugars on medium speed for 2 minutes until combined. Add in the eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt and combine for 1 minute.

Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined. Add in milk chips and macadamia nuts.

Using a medium cookie scoop drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet 2-3 inches apart.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden at the edges. 

Remove from the oven and allow the cookie to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Notes:

store airtight for up to 3 days

This recipe was adapted from here.