Roasted Asparagus

•  
• 24 large asparagus spears (about 2 pounds), trimmed and peeled
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Aged balsamic vinegar
• Parmesan, for shaving
•  
•   Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over asparagus and turn to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, 18-20 minutes.
  Transfer asparagus to a platter. To serve, drizzle vinegar over hot asparagus and use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan over the spears.
  
   http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Asparagus-365157

Cheescake Cookie Cups

Cookie Cups

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 tbsp milk

one 15.25 oz box cake mix, any flavor

Cheesecake Filling

12 oz cream cheese

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

graham cracker crumbs, optional

 

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add egg and milk and mix until combined.

3. Add dry cake cake and mix thoroughly. Dough will be thick.

4. Wrap dough in clear wrap and refrigerate 3-4 hours, or overnight.

5. Grease a mini muffin tin.

6. Make balls of about 1 1/2 tsp in size and press into the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Press the center down just a bit to make a slight indention, where you'll add the cheesecake filling later. You want each cup to only be about 3/4 full, or they will rise out of the cup when baked.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are barely golden.

8. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes. If the center doesn't still have an indention, use the end of a wooden spoon (or something similar) to press down a bit in the center of each cookie.

8. Remove cookies to a cooling rack to cool.

While the cookies cool, make the cheesecake filling:

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.

2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

3. Use a spoon or piping bag and tip to add cheesecake filling to the center of the cooled cookie cups.

4. Top with graham cracker crumbs or sprinkles, if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.

Bacon Deviled Eggs

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bacon-Deviled-Eggs-388689

Bacon Oatmeal Cookies

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bacon-Oatmeal-and-Raisin-Cookies-394670

Bacon Mac'n'Cheese

2 cups elbow pasta, cooked al dente
8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
8 ounces Colby Jack Cheese, Cubed
8 ounces Spicy Cheese, Cubed (I used a spicy buffalo cheddar cheese)
2 tsp Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
4 Tbsp Sour Cream
1 Egg, beaten
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Half and Half
6 pieces Bacon, cooked and Crumbled

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl toss pasta with cheese cubes and pour into a baking dish. Set Aside.
In another bowl mix together flour, salt, pepper and mustard. Add sour Cream, egg, heavy cream and half and half. Pour over pasta cheese mixture. Cover with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered 35-45 minutes. Add bacon on top and continue to bake another 10 minutes.

Chunky Monkey Bars

2 C Graham cracker crumbs (about 1 ½ packages crackers)

1/2 C Unsalted butter, melted

1 Can Sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)

1 C Chopped Walnuts

1 C Shredded coconut

1/2 C White chocolate chips

1/2 C Milk chocolate chips

1 C Banana chips

5 oz  Caramel bits 

 Preheat oven to 350°

Use a food processor to grind crackers into a fine crumb. Pour crumbs into a 13x9 inch baking sheet.

 

Melt butter in the microwave 20-30 seconds until completely melted. 

 

Pour over graham cracker crumbs and use a spoon to mix butter into crumbs. Using your hands, gently pat the crumbs into the bottom of the baking sheet. Be sure to cover the bottom evenly.

 

Pour half can of sweetened condensed milk over cookie crumbs

 

Next, spread walnuts, shredded coconut and chocolate chips over top of the milk to cover evenly.

 

Pour the remaining half the can over top of the walnuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

 

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. In a Ziploc bag, use your hand to gently press and break apart the banana chips. Sprinkle on top of the bars and gently press into the top of the bars.

Allow bars to cool completely.

 

In a microwave safe bowl, pour 5 oz of Kraft caramel bits in the bowl. Microwave according to package instructions; in 20-30 second increments, stirring well after each increment. The caramel will be HOT, so use an oven mitt to remove from microwave. It is possible to microwave and burn the caramel if you microwave for too long, trust me. Once the caramel is melted, use a spoon to spread moving your spoon back and forth over the top of the bars.

 

Allow the caramel to cool completely. You will want to cut these bars before putting in the fridge, because the caramel will become too hard to cut though. I keep my bars in the fridge in an airtight container. I remove them about 10 minutes before serving to allow the bars to soften slightly.

 

Baked Parmesan Riggatoni

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (Recommended San Marzano)
2 6 ounce cans of tomatoes paste
1 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
A handful of fresh basil, chopped or shredded


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven safe skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook until no pink remains. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in half of minced garlic and cook one more minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomatoes paste, water,oregano, and the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the boiling water and add the pasta. Cook to al dente. Drain and set aside.

Remove lid from the marinara sauce and add the cooked chicken and Parmesan cheese. Carefully stir in the cooked pasta and top with the mozzarella cheese.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with shredded basil.

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

• 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 large) 
• Cooking spray
•  
•  Preheat oven to 350°.
• Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; set aside.
• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, and beat at low speed until blended. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl; stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.
• Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of pan. Cool cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan; just reduce the baking time by 5 minutes.

Samoa Pie

Saving link for Jimmy.

http://www.siftandwhisk.com/blog/samoa-coconut-cream-pie/

Italian Crockpot Soup

1 lb.  Four Cheese Italian sausages 
4-6 yellow potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped and sauteed
6 pieces of bacon, chopped (optional) 
2 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves) 
32 oz. chicken broth 
1 c. spinach, chopped 
1 c. heavy whipping cream 
2 Tbsp flour 

DIRECTIONS: 
1. Brown sausage links in a sauté pan. 
2. Cut links in half lengthwise, then cut slices. 
3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes, bacon and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough broth to cover the vegetables and meat. 
4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft. 
5. Mix flour into cream removing lumps. Add cream mixture to crockpot.
6. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly. 

7. Add spinach to the crock pot just before serving, stir and serve. 

How to make stuff in the kitchen website

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-hom-159913