Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. roughly chopped fresh thyme leaves

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper on a baking sheet; sprinkle with the salt and thyme and toss again. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

This recipe can be found here.

Triple Chocolate Cake

1 chocolate cake mix, any kind

1 (3.4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 325°.

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix for nine minutes. Pour into a very well-greased Bundt cake pan. Bake 1 hour.

Let cool in pan for 1 hour before removing. (It tastes much better once cooled.) Store in refrigerator.

Though this cake does not require frosting—it is very sweet and very rich—it can be dusted with powdered sugar or drizzled with ganache for presentation purposes.

Note: This recipe adapts well to two standard loaf pans or sixteen mini-loaf pans. (Adjust baking time for mini loaves.)

This recipe can be found here.

Avocado Mango Salsa

1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

1 lime, juiced

1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, chopped

1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

Place the avocado in a serving bowl, and mix with the lime juice. Mix in the mango, onion, habanero pepper, cilantro and salt.

This recipe can be found here.

Roasted Jicama

1 cup jicama, cut into 1" cubes
1 small potato, cut into 1" cubes
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tsp rosemary

Preheat oven to 400°.  Toss all the ingredients together.  Spread in baking pan.  Roast for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

adapted from here

Pudding Surprise

1½ sticks butter

1½ cup flour

1½ cup nuts, finely chopped

8 oz cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1 lg container of Cool Whip

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding

3 cups milk

Nuts or chocolate shavings

Cut butter into flour.  Add nuts.  Press into 9X13 pan; bake @ 400° for 15 minutes.  Cool.

Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and ½ container Cool Whip.  Spread over crust.

Mix together pudding mixes with milk.  Spread over previous layers.

Top with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with nuts or chocolate shavings.

Best when chilled several hours.

recipe from a friend

Triple Almond Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

2 cup sugar

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 cup vegetable/canola oil

2 eggs

1 tsp almond extract or lemon extract

4½ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

2 cups sliced almonds

1 (6oz) package toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar and powdered sugar, mixing well Add oil, eggs and almond extract, mix well.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Add to butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in almonds and toffee bits.

Scoop cookies with a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp). Roll dough in granulated sugar and place on a parchment lined baking pan. Flatten cookies in a crisscross patter with a fork dipped in granulated sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly on pan and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe can be found here.

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1 (18 1/4 ounce) boxes spice cake mix

1 (15 ounce) cans solid-pack pumpkin (the small can)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) or 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) or 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

1 cup cream cheese frosting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray cookie sheets lightly with vegetable spray (Pam).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and pumpkin with a fork or mixer until well blended; stir in nuts or chocolate chips, if desired.

Drop by large rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet; they don't flatten out much so however you place them on the sheet is pretty much how they'll look after baking.

Bake for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for up to 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost, if desired.

This recipe can be found here.

The Best Coffee Cake. Ever.

1½ sticks butter, softened

2 cups (scant) sugar

3 cups flour, sifted

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1¼ cups milk

3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

FOR THE TOPPING:

1½ sticks butter, softened

¾ cups flour

1½ cups brown sugar

2 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 cups walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don't over beat.

Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 (or LARGER!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm---delicious!

This recipe can be found here.

Cowboy Caviar

1 can black beans
1 can white beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can sweet corn
5 tomatoes, diced
1/2 large red onion
1 jalapeno
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon honey
salt & pepper, to taste

Open cans of beans and corn. Drain using a colander and rinse well. Pour into large bowl. Add in tomatoes, onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Stir.

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients for dressing together and pour over bean mixture. Stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings. The longer this sits, the better. Serve with tortilla chips.

This recipe can be found here.

Braised Italian Chicken

1½ -2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6-8 thighs)
½ tsp. kosher salt, divided
fresh cracked black pepper
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 
1 cup diced onion
¼ cup shredded carrot
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°
To prepare chicken, rinse all pieces in cold water and use a pair of kitchen shears to snip off any remaining fat.  Blot dry on paper towels.  Season one side of chicken with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and several cracks of black pepper.
Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat.  When hot, add olive oil and make sure it spreads across bottom of pot.  Place chicken salt side down and cook for 2-3 minutes.  While it’s cooking, sprinkle remaining ¼ tsp. salt plus a few cracks black pepper on other side of chicken.  Flip chicken pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Remove chicken and place on a plate.
Add onions and carrots to pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  Add can of diced tomato (with all the juices), tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.  Stir ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Add chicken and all accumulated juices from plate.  Cover chicken with sauce and cover pot with lid.
Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and remove lid.  Use 2 forks to gently shred chicken into large chunks.  Add remaining ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar and chopped basil.  Add additional kosher salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables, or on french rolls or slider buns and garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

Nutritional Info (3/4 cup shredded chicken with sauce, and 1 tablespoon fresh Parmesan):
Calories:  201, Fat: 14g, Protein:  20g, Carbs: 8g, Fiber: 2g

This recipe can be found here.