Sugar Gems

I have to admit, when I saw the dough for these cookies I was scared. Okay, not SCARED...that is a little intense, but, I was convinced that my cookies weren't going to turn out. Well, they proved me wrong! They were delicious! The only way that I can think to explain their consistency is a mix between a sugar cookie and a snicker doodle. They have just the correct 'crunch factor', which, in my book, can't be too much or I hate the cookie. They are not overwhelmingly sweet, just yummy! Okay, I will stop describing them and give you the recipe already...

From: The Sister's Cafe

Cream together:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
5 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. (Your dough will be rather sticky, but still easy to roll without sticking to your hands). Roll into golf size balls and roll in sugar to coat. Place on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Cool and frost with sugar gem frosting.

Frosting:
2-2 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup oil
2 tsp flavoring (almond, vanilla, coconut, etc.) - I used coconut flavoring and it was delicious!
3-4 Tbsp milk
Coloring if wanted

Mix well and add a little more milk or powdered sugar to get the right consistency. (I loved these cookies without frosting, my hubby loved them with it!)

Stromboli

I haven't eaten stromboli for 4 years...FOUR YEARS! Yet, I still remember how good it is, and it definitely lived up to everything that I remembered. Basically it is a rolled up sandwich or pizza, depending on what you put inside. My FAVORITE is simply a cheesy garlic roll, it is absolutely divine, I urge you all to make at least half a loaf of this recipe, then go crazy on the other half.. Cody preferred having his stuffed to the brim with as much filling as possible, but really, just use your imagination when filling your own. (Some do ham and cheese with a dressing filling, others a pepperoni pizza...)O, and P.S. I TOTALLY cheated when I made this recipe this time...I used pre-made Rhodes loaf frozen bread. I hate to admit it, but it was delicious and much simpler! 

From: Amanda

2 ½ cups lukewarm water

2 tsp. yeast

1 Tbs. salt

3 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

6 cups flour

 

Dissolve yeast in water, add remaining ingredients, let sit for 20 minutes knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide dough in half, let sit 10 minutes. Roll each out into a rectangle.

-OR-

Rhodes Frozen Loaf dough

Thaw 1 loaf of bread by following package directions. Divide dough in half. Roll each out into a rectangle.

 

Cheesy Garlic filling:

2 egg yolks(save whites for topping)

1 Tbs. oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup mozzarella

 

Mix together and brush evenly over one rectangle. This one is great as a "side dish" to your more filling roll.

Alfredo Deluxe filling:

1/3 cup Alfredo Sauce

1 piece boiled, shredded chicken

3 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped

1/8 cup canadian bacon, cooked

3/4 cup mozzarella

Spread other rectangle with Alfredo sauce. Top with chicken, turkey bacon, canadian bacon, and mozzarella.

Roll rectangle lengthwise and pinch together at seam. Place seam down on a greased 9x13 cookie sheet. Tuck ends under to prevent fillings coming out during baking. Both rolls can be placed on the same baking sheet. Top generously with egg whites, garlic salt, and oregano. Cook rolls together at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serves 4. (AT LEAST!)

Garlic Cheese Bread

I always feel like my garlic bread and my cheese bread are missing something. Well, today, I combined the two! This may be very obvious to all of you, but for some reason this has never crossed my mind before. Tonight we were blessed with this amazing side dish...I hope you all indulge!

4 slices bread

1/8 cup butter

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 cup mozzarella/cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Remove from heat and add oregano. Using a pastry brush, brush each slice of bread with melted mixture. Top with 1/8 cup cheese on each slice. Broil for 1-2 minutes, watch carefully. Remove when cheese is melted and bread it browning.

Serves 4.

Burnt Butter Gnocchi

Me and my hubbs made dinner together tonight, and it was so much fun! (Well, besides the fact that I was a little distracted when slicing the bread for our Garlic Cheese toast and I sliced my hand...then lighting the entire paper towel roll on fire while trying to stop the bleeding...that's a story for another day!) Cody is an absolute PRO at burnt butter anything...I had never even eaten burnt butter food until I married him, and boy was I missing out. It is so delicious, extremely easy, and pretty much the most fattening dish of your day!!! All good reasons to make this meal, right?

Some people have never heard of Gnocchi, what a sad, sad life you lead! I am so happy to be the one to introduce you to these wonderful little potato dumplings. SOMEDAY I will make homemade gnocchi...I am sad to say, but today is not that day. It is just so dang easy to pick them up in the pasta isle at the grocery store, and they taste divine. (I have an italian friend who has offered to teach me, I need to take her up on it before I have to move away from her...maybe that will be one of my resolutions...I will ask her this week! Be prepared, Stef!)

We don't always eat gnocchi burnt-butter style, most often we make a pink sauce (1/2 alfredo, 1/2 tomato, easy as that). Today we mixed it up a little, and this was the result....ENJOY!

1 package Gnocchi (We love Target's Archer Farms brand)

1/4 cup butter

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. (If you have never made it before, the directions might sound odd. YES, really only boil them until a few pop up to the top, then drain immediately.) While gnocchi is boiling, melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Continue to cook butter until it is a dark golden brown. (You can see the color of the butter along the top of the pan in this photo).

Drain gnocchi and pour into burnt butter pan. Saute for about 2 minutes or until changes to a light golden brown and creates a semi-crunchy crust. Top with salt and pepper and enjoy!

I serve gnocchi with this recipe for Garlic Cheese Bread.

Serves 4.

French Dips with Swiss

Growing up, I ate french dips on a regular basis. Now, my mother must have loved me, because she always used REAL roast beef. (By real I mean not pre-sliced and purchased at Target like what I do!) I like to make this an easy, LESS than 30-minute meal. It literally takes me 8 minutes...tops. Not to mention the nostalgic feeling I get when eating it...thanks for all of the memories, mom.

Servings: 2 Sandwiches

8 slices roast beef

2 oz swiss cheese

2 good quality sandwich buns

1 Au jus package

Cook Au Jus according to package directions. Place 4 slices of roast beef and 1 oz of cheese on a sandwich bun. Broil open faced for about 1 1/2 minutes. Watch carefully. When cheese has melted and buns are toasted, serve with hot Au Jus.

Three Cheese Manicotti

First of all...I got a new camera, so expect MUCH higher quality pictures to be appearing on

this blog! I was so excited when I uploaded this pic...it looks professional! YEAH! Anyway, the meal 

itself tasted professional as well. I always look at manicotti recipes and think..."I can whip that up 

in a flash"! I seem to forget about the STUFFING part. So, this meal itself is an extremely 

easy meal to make...it just takes time. I, however, feel that it is well worth it! This meal is very

heavy, I can only eat one shell, and my husband can eat two. I serve it with Divine Breadsticks, so 

that definitely adds to our full factor. I would estimate that this meal can serve four as long as you 

have a delicious side dish as well!

10 uncooked manicotti shells

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

3 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

leaf spinach, minced (optional)

2 cups spaghetti sauce

Cook manicotti to al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, seasonings, and spinach(optional). 

Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce on the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Stuff manicotti shells with cheese mixture; arrange over sauce. Top with remaining sauce.

Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and manicotti is heated through.

Katie's Kookies

Since I can remember, my cousin Katie has ALWAYS made the best cookies. Whenever she is kind enough to share them with me (which is WAY too often!) I tend to eat half of the plate, on my own. It is a delightful indulgence...until I realize what I have done! So, for those of you looking for those "I ate way too many of these" cookies...here is the recipe. I hope you can enjoy them as often as I have!

From: Katie

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3 cups flour(I have done 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white and it is delicious!)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Bake at 350 degrees on a greased cooking sheet for 9-10 minutes.