Raspberry Ribbons {12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies}

These are a fun twist on the traditional thumb print cookies that so many people make at Christmastime. They are buttery, crumbly, sweet and tart. And so easy to eat. Joel inhaled about 5 before I could even snap one picture of the final product.

My family has been making these for several years and they quickly became a favorite and must have on the cookie tray. You could switch up the jam to whatever you prefer. Joel grew up with plum jam thumbprints so I think I may try that out next time.

Raspberry Ribbons
recipe from Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies and Bars

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
2. Divide dough into four portions; shape each into a 10-inch x 2 1/2-inch log. Place 4 inches apart on greased or foil-lined baking sheets. Make a 1/2-inch depression down the center of each log. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

3. Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes. Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place on wire rack.
4. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cookies. Cool completely. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Recipe linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Sweets for a Saturday, A Themed Baker’s Sunday and Holiday Sweet Swap.

Honey Mustard Chicken and Bacon Panini

When I was a child, my mom packed my lunch every single day. Occasionally, I would open my lunch box to see a note written on my napkin. “Hope you are having a good day,” “good luck on the test,” “I love you.” It always brightened my day and was usually exactly the encouragement, reminder or pick me up that I needed. She still does the same thing for my dad. How awesome is that?

So today in honor of the lunch note napkin, I am going to bring you a great lunch idea…the Honey Mustard Chicken and Bacon Panini. Making a sandwich into a panini just makes it seem so much fancier. We love panini’s around our house and make several different varieties. They are a great lunch or quick dinner on a busy night. Serve with a fresh green salad to get your veggies!

Honey Mustard Chicken and Bacon Panini
recipe from Homemade by Holman

4 slices bread of choice (we used French bread)
2 slices smoked mozzarella cheese
4 slices bacon
2 pieces of Dijon chicken (See below)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard or Honey mustard

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Remove bacon grease and wipe out pan with a paper towel, return pan to stove and reduce heat to medium. Thinly slice chicken breasts against the grain. Lightly butter one side of bread slices, spread mustard on non-buttered side of one piece of bread. Add one slice of cheese, 2 slices of bacon, cut in half, and half the chicken to each. Top with remaining slice of bread and place buttered side down in the skillet. Cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown and flip. Cook about another 3 minutes until cheese is melted and sandwich is golden brown.

Dijon Chicken Marinade

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine mustard, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add spices and stir. Prepare chicken breasts and place in a large plastic storage bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, close bag and shake bag gently and squeeze to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate one hour. Preheat grill, oil lightly and add chicken over medium heat. Cook 5-6 minutes and turn (if chicken sticks, give it another minute or so), cook about 5 minutes more until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil for about 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Hot Caramel Apple Cider + Rant

Pretty sure our neighbors are hoarders. It started out with three grills. Two I can understand if you are some kind of barbeque master. And if they were in the backyard. And if they were in good shape. Not three rusted out grills in the driveway. That I don’t understand. Then came the pile of cinder blocks. We have lived here for almost 3 years and they have never moved. Slowly, things have taken over and they can no longer park in their garage. If you want to use it for storage, whatever. But it’s not the best idea when you live in the toughest weather city in America. Yep, that’s right. Toughest.

Anyway, I drove by the other day and saw that there is a couch now. In case they want to sit amongst the junk? It’s spilling out of the garage and now part of their driveway is covered with random items. It has spread to the backyard. They have all kinds of building materials strewn across the yard. Looks like they may be building a deck but it’s November. I don’t think they will get very far before the snow plagues us. Which means it will be there for at least 5 months. Boo. They also have stuff in one of the empty lots inbetween us (lucky there are 3).

When Joel got home from work yesterday, he informed me that they have added 3 mattresses to their “collection” on the front porch. He knows how much the whole situation irritates me and gets quite a kick out of it.

I was tempted to take pictures one day. Ok, so I did. But I won’t post them. That would just be rude. Not that this whole rampage isn’t, right? Right? So I’m sure by now you are wondering how this rant is related to Hot Caramel Apple Cider. Well, it isn’t. I just had to get it off my chest. It’s all a bit ridiculous. So here is the recipe. It’s good….really really good. I’m done with the complaining for today.

Hot Caramel Apple Cider
recipe from Divine Dinner Party

1 gallon apple cider
2 cups caramel sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Rum, brandy or apple brandy (optional, to taste)

1. In a large, non-reactive pan (or in the crock pot), combine apple cider, caramel and vanilla.
2. Heat over medium, stirring, until the cider is hot and the caramel is incorporated.
3. Drink as is or add rum, brandy or apply brandy to taste.  The booze can either be added to the whole batch (heat gently, but don’t allow it to boil) or you can  simply add a shot of booze to each adult’s mug before serving.

Guest Post at Cajun Sugar Pie: Vanilla Hot Chocolate Mix

I am guest posting today at Cajun Sugar Pie and sharing an amazing recipe for a Hot Chocolate Mix. Please hop over to check it out.

And it marks another item off my Top 100!

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies {12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies}

I had a hard time deciding what cookie to feature next in the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies. There are so many amazing recipes that have come to mind and narrowing it down just 12 has been difficult. I made these last fall and I knew needed to bring them back this year. They are amazingly delicious, portable and totally cute. And who doesn’t love a mini dessert? I know I do!

I whipped up the cookies while Noah was taking a nap. When he woke up we went to the fridge to get him a drink and he spied them. Then there was a whine fest. I was not able to eat one without him stealing a bite or two. I guess it’s only fair to share. The cookies are very cake-like and the frosting is not overly sweet. I made these for a football get together we were hosting and they were a huge hit among the pumkin lovers and haters. I don’t understand how you could hate pumpkin. That’s just wrong. It’s one of my favorite flavors ever and somehow I agreed to marry a pumpkin hater. I am constantly trying to convert him and he actually tolerates these.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
recipe from allrecipes.com

Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)
3. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For cream cheese filling: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Recipe linked to These Chicks Cooked, What I Whipped Up Wednesday,  Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, This Week’s Craving, Sharing Sundays and Fusion Fridays.

Stir-Fried Noodles

I’m an Air Force Brat. I have lived in Alabama, Germany, Georgia, Nebraska, North Dakota and Minnesota (the last 2 as an adult). As a kid, I didn’t mind it too much until our move to Nebraska after my 6th grade year. It was hard to leave my friends and I’m sure I was unpleasant and ungrateful towards my parents at the time. I didn’t consider that it was painful and incredibly difficult for my parents to leave their friends that had become our family.

But I got over it, made new friends and met Joel so it was pretty much a win-win for me. Looking back, the Air Force life was one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me. I got to experience amazing things and visit places that would have never been in my horizons otherwise. I met all kinds of different people and learned about so many cultures. In Germany, my mom learned how to make many traditional German meals and they quickly became family favorites. Now I make them for my family. We had a Vietnamese neighbor who made the best lumpia’s you’ll ever eat. Man I miss her.

Now we have friends all over the country. How awesome it that? It’s funny how something that you sometimes viewed as awful, terrible and just heartbreaking was actually quite the opposite after time and maturity kicked in. I’m so grateful for the choice that my parents made to provide the Air Force lifestyle to my brother and me. It gives me such pride to say that my dad served our country and I have so much respect and appreciation for all those who serve or have served and their families too.

Because of the life we lived, we only occasionally ate “normal” American meals. We picked up recipes of all different cuisines from friends, neighbors and co-workers which meant we rarely had spaghetti or casseroles on the table. Now that I have my own family to feed, I experiment with Chinese, Italian, Greek, Thai, Mexican, Indian….you name it, I’ll probably give it a try. So today I’m going to share a quick and easy side that I throw together to accompany our favorite Chinese meals. These stir-fry noodles take minutes to make and taste like the real deal.

Stir-Fried Noodles

8 oz. Chinese noodles (or linguini)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

sesame seeds

red pepper flakes

1. Cook noodles al dente according to package directions. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in sauté pan. Cook garlic until soft then add in noodles. Stir until the noodles have been coated.

2. Add half of the soy sauce and stir to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring (so you get some crispy brown noodles – my favorite). Stir then mix in the rest of the soy sauce. Leave alone for a minute or two then stir again.

3. If you like the noodles a little saucy, stir in a bit more soy sauce. You may need to lower or up the amount of soy depending on the kind of
noodles you use. This recipe is really up to your taste. Sprinkle noodles with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes if desired.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes {Crazy Cooking Challenge}

I can’t believe it’s time again for another Crazy Cooking Challenge! This month’s challenge is mashed potatoes. I searched throughout the blog world for the perfect recipe and of course I found way too many! But when I came across this Slow Cooker Mashed Potato recipe at Real Mom Kitchen, I knew I had to try it.

With an unbelievably busy toddler running around the house all day, I don’t always have as much time as I would like to prepare dinner. And I mean busy. I climb on a dining room chair to kill a spider and I pretty much immediately hear splashing. I turn around quickly assuming he is a few feet away, playing in the cat’s water. But he’s not there. Then I have a brief moment of panic as I realize he is instead playing in the toilet. Awesome. So then I wash his hands with lots of soap as I sing “Happy Birthday” twice (that’s how long you should wash your hands…I’m kind of a germaphobe). By the time this scenario has wrapped up, I’ve completely forgotten what I was originally doing. Such is life with a little man I suppose. Now you understand my immediate attraction to this recipe, don’t you?

Plus, this would be perfect for holidays or big gatherings when the oven and stovetop are full to the brim. The sour cream provided a great creaminess and tanginess that went perfect with the pot roast they accompanied. I think they would be amazing with some roasted garlic mixed in at the point when the milk is added. Mmmm, garlic.

Make sure to scroll through the links and vote for my recipe as the Ultimate Mashed Potato recipe. Thanks for showing some love!

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

5 lb baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks*
1 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 cup milk, warmed

1.In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, place potatoes, chicken broth and butter.
2.Cover; cook on High heat setting 4 hours to 4 hours 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3.Add remaining ingredients except milk. Mash, crush or smash potatoes using potato masher, or beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Do not overmix. Stir in enough milk for desired creamy consistency.
4.Cover and keep warm on Low or Warm heat setting until serving time, up to 2 hours. Stir before serving and you may need to mix in additional milk if potatoes have stiffened while on the warm or low setting.

*I may have pulled a Paula Deen and added more butter than stated…….

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Recipe linked to Sharing Sunday, Sunday Funday, Mangia Monday, Tasty Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday and Fusion Fridays.

Apple Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Scones

Wow, that’s a mouthful. Joel has never been a fan of scones and I have been on a mission to change his mind for quite awhile. And I was finally successful with these perfectly fall spiced scones. He deemed them moist and crumbly and delicious. Ahh, I love when I can convert him to my thinking! I was worried that the apple wouldn’t come through enough but it was just right and gave a nice texture (along with the oatmeal) to the scones. And I couldn’t resist throwing in some cinnamon chips. They also freeze well according to Christina of Sweet Pea’s Kitchen, not that I would know…Joel ate them all before I had the chance.

Apple Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Scones
recipe slightly adapted from Sweet Peas Kitchen

1/2 cup half-and-half
1 large egg
1 apple, peeled and cored
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup cinnamon chips
1 tablespoon demerara sugar

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2.In a small bowl, whisk together half-and-half and the egg; set aside.
3.In a medium bowl, grate apples on large holes of box grater. Add one tablespoon of sugar and lemon juice to the grated apples. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then drain in fine-mesh strainer set over bowl. Reserve juices.
4.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,  nutmeg and cloves. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.
5.Add the oats, grated apple and cinnamon chips to the flour mixture mix to combine. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and form the dough into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands pat dough into a 7-inch round. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 8 wedges.
6.Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the reserved apple juice and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake until golden, about 16-18 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly before serving.Recipe linked to Mangia Monday, Tasty Tuesday and Totally Tasty Tuesday.

Taco Seasoning Mix

You will never buy another package of taco seasoning again.  This is super cheap to make and tastes fresher than any store bought packet.  Another perk to this seasoning is that there isn’t anything you can’t pronounce or nasty stuff like MSG or extra sodium.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons on ground beef or turkey (while cooking) for easy weeknight tacos or nachos.  Double or triple the recipe so that you have extra on hand when you need to throw something together quickly.  Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.

Taco Seasoning Mix
from allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Fusion Friday, Mangia Monday and Strut Your Stuff Saturday.

Cheesesteak Pizza

Today is National Men Make Dinner Day so I thought I would feature a meal that my main man loves and always assists with making. Hands down, pizza is his favorite food. Meaty, cheesy, topping overloaded pizza. No veggies or plain cheese for him.

Sunday is homemade pizza night in our house and we always try to experiment with different toppings, sauces and regional spin-offs. This Philly-style pizza was inspired by a recipe I found in one of my cookbooks that we have altered to our taste. We skip the onions and peppers but since they are traditional to a cheesesteak, I have added them to the ingredient list.

I have admitted this before and I will admit it again. I hate making dough of any kind. The sticky mess that my hands become is just too much for me to handle. Then there is the business of rolling it out to a perfect circle. I get frustrated FAST. Joel takes over and somehow gets it just right.

He now makes the pizza dough from start to finish and I take care of the toppings. Great teamwork. He even makes this all by himself sometimes to give me a break from cooking. I appreciate it so much but still have a hard time not hovering. The kitchen is my space. I don’t really like other people in it. He usually has to tell me at least 3 times that he has it under control and (very kindly) to leave. So when I think about my guy cooking in the kitchen this is what comes to mind.

Cheesesteak Pizza

1 recipe for pizza dough (below) or premade crust
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 cheesesteak patties (from frozen section)
1-3 Tbsp. steak sauce (to taste)
1/4-1/2 cup Alfredo sauce (to taste)
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
7 slices provolone

Pizza Dough
recipe from allrecipes.com

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 envelope Fleischmann’s® RapidRise Yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup very warm water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Cornmeal

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, and salt. Stir very warm water and olive oil into flour mixture. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.
2. Lightly oil 1 (14-inch) pizza pan. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into smooth ball.  Roll dough to fit pan. Prebake crust for 10 minutes. Poke any bubbles that may have appeared during baking.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet. Add onions and peppers and saute until caramelized. In another skillet, cook cheesesteak patties until cooked through. Stir in desired amount of steak sauce.
4. After crust has prebaked, smear with alfredo sauce. Top pizza with cheesesteak meat, onions and peppers. Sprinkle with mozzarella then lay slices of provolone on top.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let sit for a few minutes before slicing.
Recipe linked to This Week’s Cravings, Cast Party Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Mangia Monday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Potluck Friday, Fusion Friday and Strut Your Stuff Saturday.