Pizza Factory Twisted Breadsticks

Ingredients:
1 T. yeast

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 C. warm water

1 T. oil

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 C. flour

3/4 C. melted butter - divided

3/8 tsp. granulated garlic

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves

1/4 tsp. Season All

1 T. Parmesan cheese
8 - 1/4 inch wooden dowels cut into 18 inch lengths coated in vegetable oil

Directions:

Mix the yeast, sugar and water and let sit for a couple of minutes to dissolve the yeast. Add the oil, salt and flour and knead by hand or with your mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.

Cover and let rise until double.

Divide dough into 8 equal parts, about 4 oz. each if you want to use a kitchen scale. Lightly flour your hands and roll the dough into about an 16-18 inch

long "snake". Moisten the top of your dowel or skewer and begin wrapping the dough around loosely. Moisten a little where the breadstick will end too. Pinch to secure the dough at the top and bottom. Leave about 5 inches at the end of the dowel, if you are using the longer dowels.

Hang over the edge of a 9x13 inch cake pan with all of the dough inside the pan. Let them rise until doubled. Brush with 1/4 C. melted butter.

Heat oven to 375. Bake at 375 for about 15- 20 minutes or until just golden.

Meanwhile mix the remaining 1/2 C. melted butter, seasonings and parmesan cheese.

When the breadsticks come out of the oven, brush them with the seasoned melted butter mixture.

White Chocolate Ginger Drop Cookies

photo courtesy of bakedbree.com

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions
1.Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
 2.Cream together butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
 3.Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla.
4.Mix until the batter just together, being careful to not overmix.
5.Wrap the dough in plastic and chill 4 hours or overnight.
6.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment.
7.Using an ice cream scooper, portion dough and roll into balls. Coat the dough balls in sugar.
 8.Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
9.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and immediately place a few white chocolate chips in the center.
 10.Cool completely on wire racks.

From: http://bakedbree.com/white-chocolate-ginger-drops-week-1-of-12-weeks-of-cookies-2011

Chocolate Caramel Cookies with Sea Salt

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
Caramels (home made preferably!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together butter and both types of sugar in a stand mixer. Once it is light and fluffy add in the eggs one at a time. Then mix in the vanilla extract. Add in cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, mix until well combined. Mix in the flour and mix until smooth-ish. Some lumps are ok, they will bake out.

Take a tablespoon or so of dough and wrap it around the caramel. Place it on a cookie sheet (I lined mine with silicone mats - it helped when some of the caramel oozed out!)  Bake for 11-13 minutes.


**Let cool completely before eating - while they are still warm the caramel is kind of dissolved into the dough, but once cooled there is a chewy caramel consistency in the center. Delicious!!**


Recipe from: http://mycookingadventure.blogspot.com/2010/10/chewy-caramel-chocolate-cookies.html

Maryland Crab Cakes from Red Lobster

Dense yet flaky, firm yet delicate, Maryland crab cakes are a seaside staple. Serve them a’ la carte, in a sandwich or beside a salad.  From the Red Lobster website.

Serves 4

Maryland Crab Cakes Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp. garlic minced
• 1 tbsp. onion minced
• 1 tbsp. celery diced
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 whole egg
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 pound lump crab meat
• 2 tbsp. oil for sautéing

Maryland Crab Cakes Preparation:

1. In a large stainless-steel bowl, combine all ingredients except crab meat and bread crumbs.
2. Using gloved hands, gently mix in crab meat, then add bread crumbs.
3. Spread a thin layer of plain bread crumbs on your work surface.
4. Form crab mixture into equal balls, approximately two inches in diameter. Place on crumbs.
5. Gently flatten the ball of crab mixture and round the edges. Form cakes about one-half inch thick and three inches round. Refrigerate.
6. In a sauté pan, melt 2 tbsp. of oil until hot. Gently slide in crab cakes 2 at a time.
7. Brown on one side approximately two-to-three minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. Turn down heat to simmer and cook crab cakes another 5-8 minutes.

Carino's Spicy Romano Chicken

Ingredients:

Butter, Melted 2 Tbsp

Shrimp, Tail-Off Peeled and Cleaned 20 medium shrimp

Chicken Breast, 8 Ounce 2 each

Mushrooms, Sliced 3 cups

Sun-dried Tomatoes, Hydrated 1 cup

Salt and Pepper to taste

Green Onions, Sliced 1 cup

Heavy Cream 2 cups

Pecorino Romano Cheese, Grated 1/3 cup

Cayenne Pepper to taste

Penne Pasta, Dry 20 ounces weight

Directions:

1. Grilled chicken breasts until done. Cool and slice into ¼ inch thick strips.
2. Add butter to a large sauté pan at medium heat. Once butter is heated, add shrimp, sliced chicken, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions and salt and pepper. Sauté until shrimp and mushrooms are cooked.
3. Add heavy cream, pecorino romano cheese and cayenne pepper. Let cream reduce by 50% while thoroughly combining all ingredients.
4. Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Drain excess water and then toss pasta with contents of sauté pan.
5. Place Spicy Shrimp and Chicken into designated serving plateware, garnish and enjoy! 

Serves 4 people.  From Carino's blog.  For more Carino's recipes go here.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 C frozen corn

1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 to 2 lbs Penne pasta

Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Directions
Cook chicken, drain, and shred. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper and corn and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Now toss in the sour cream, but DO NOT bring to a boil! Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle. Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Drain pasta & return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and mix well. Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

Brined Maple Turkey with Cream Gravy

Ingredients

Brine:

• 8 quarts water
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  

Turkey:

• 1 (12-pound) fresh or thawed frozen turkey (I found you don't need to double anything even if you do a larger turkey)
• 1 cup cola
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 onions, quartered
• Cooking spray

Gravy:

• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

• To prepare brine, combine first 6 ingredients in a large stockpot, stirring until salt dissolves.
• To prepare turkey, remove and reserve giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Add turkey to pot, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Bring cola and 1/2 cup syrup to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 1 minute.
• Combine thyme, sage, seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove turkey from brine, discarding brine; pat dry. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub thyme mixture under loosened skin; sprinkle inside body cavity. Place 4 garlic cloves and onions in body cavity. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.
• Place turkey on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of a thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Pour cola mixture over turkey; cover with foil. Bake an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes or until thermometer registers 180°. Remove turkey from pan, reserving drippings for gravy. Place turkey on a platter. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Remove twine. Discard skin.
• To prepare gravy, while turkey bakes, combine reserved giblet and neck and the broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a colander into a bowl, discarding solids.
• Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top).
• Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into broiler pan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Add broth mixture. Place broiler pan on stovetop over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine milk and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk; add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Strain gravy through a sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.