Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Original recipe found here

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter (I always used salted)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 oz. crushed Heath bar

1 cup toasted Hazelnuts (see original recipe link for how to toast)

12 oz. semi sweet mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 325*. Combine all wet ingredients in stand mixer, then add dry ingredients. Mix well.

2) Place dough on lined cookie sheet using a large size cookie scoop. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

3) Let cool for a couple minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Cowboy Casserole

 Original Recipe here

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef , (85/15)
• 1 cup corn
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 32 oz tater tots

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until browned.

3. Add the corn, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup cheese, milk, sour cream, onion powder, and bacon to the skillet and mix well.

4. In a 9x13 pan layer the beef mixture, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top of the meat mixture, then finally pour tater tots over top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, uncovered.

5. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake another 5 minutes.

Southern Apple Crumble

 Original recipe found here

Filling:

3 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon

Topping:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

-Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and sides of 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss filling ingredients. Spread mixture in baking dish.

-In same large bowl, stir cookie mix and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

-Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with pecans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature

Croissant Bread Pudding w/ Pean Toffee Sauce

Original recipe found here 

Bread Pudding:

6 jumbo croissants (8 large, or 12 small)

3 cups heavy cream

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Pecan Toffee Sauce:

3/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350F. 
2. For the bread pudding:
3. In a large bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar.
4. Then whisk in the heavy cream and whisk until fully incorporated.
5. Tear croissants into pieces and place half of the croissants into a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with baking spray.
6. Pour half the custard over the bread pieces in the pan.
7. Press down the bread pieces with your hands until the bread is soaked with the custard. 
8. Add the remaining croissant bread pieces, and the remaining custard mixture. 
9. Bake the bread pudding for 45-55 minutes until golden on top.
10. Cool for 10 minutes and serve warm. While it cools, make the pecan sauce.

For the pecan toffee sauce:

1. Stir brown sugar and butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Add cream and almond extract and bring to a simmer.
3. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then add pecans.
4. Serve on top of bread pudding.

Pot Roast--Slow Cooker

 Original recipe here

3-5 lb chuck roast

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

4 cups beef broth

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

Gravy Slurry (add this at the end once the meat is out of the slow cooker):

2 TBSP cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1) Place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (depending on roast size)

2) Remove meat and let it rest while you make gravy slurry (leave slow cooker heat on). Make gravy slurry, and whisk into juices in the slow cooker. Whisk until it thickens. 

3) Shred meat, and serve with mashed potatoes and gravyyyyyyyyy.

Carrot Cake Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Original recipe found here 

• 1 ¼ cup (6oz/180g) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ Cup (1 ½ oz / 45g) brown sugar*
• 1 ¼ cup (10oz/280g) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cup (5 ½ /150g) carrots, peeled chopped
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla

• In a blender add in chopped carrots and pulse until fine.
• To the carrots, add the vanilla, egg, milk, raisins and pulse until well blended and the mix turns orange. The mix will get thick.
• In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar.
• Add the carrot mixture and oil to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Don't over-mix or your pancakes will end up flat and tough.
• Heat a griddle to medium heat. It’s important to have a steady medium heat for cooking pancakes. When griddle is hot, add a little butter.
• Scoop a big spoonful of batter onto the griddle. Cook on first side until bubbles form all over the top of the pancake and the edges begin to change color. These bubbles are important to hold up your pancake.
• Flip pancake and cook 1 to 2 minutes on second side.
• For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Place the cream cheese, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer or hand mixer.
• Beat the ingredients until the cream cheese is smooth.
• Add in the cream and continue to beat until the mix thickens, around 2 minutes.
• Serve a big dollop of the Cream Cheese Frosting on top of your pancakes, drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle over some toasted walnuts. Everything combined makes the most incredible stack of pancakes.

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies

Original recipe found here

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
3 TBSP boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
2-1/2 cups flour
2 cups quick oats

-Preheat oven to 350º.

-Cream brown sugar, butter, and shortening. Add eggs and mix. Add salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and mix. Mix baking soda and boiling water, then add to the bowl and mix. Add flour and oatmeal and mix well. 

-Scoop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets so that you have rounded heaping teaspoons. Bake for 10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let the cookies cool completely.

Filling recipe found here

• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)
• -In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (you want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is).
  -Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature (it must be completely cool before you use it in the next step).
  -Stir in vanilla.         
  -While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the completely cooled milk mixture and beat THOROUGHLY (if it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough!). Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.
• -Using a small size cookie scoop, put a scoop of filling on one oatmeal cookie, then top with a second oatmeal cookie. Lightly press together. 

Easy Marinara Sauce

Original recipe found here

3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onions
3 cloves minced garlic (1 1/2 tsp)
1/4 cup fresh basil (or 1-2 TBSP dried basil)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2-28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 tsp white sugar
**optional: pork ribs cut into single rib pieces (the fat from the pork ribs is what REALLY makes this sauce awesome)

Instructions:
-Warm olive oil in sauce pan, then add onions and minced garlic. Let saute for about 5 minutes, until tender.
-Add in remaining ingredients and stir well.
-If you're using pork ribs, add them to the sauce now and make sure they're covered with the sauce.
-Allow sauce to come to a boil on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes so sauce doesn't burn on the bottom.
-Turn down to low heat, and let it simmer for an hour or more.

Slow Cooker: add everything to the slow cooker and set it to low.

Cooking Pasta in Instant Pot

Original recipe found here

16 oz. pasta
6 cups water
2 tsp kosher salt
2 TBSP butter or oil\

-Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot (make sure pasta is covered with water).
-Secure the lid and turn pressure release to "sealed" position, and make sure it's set on High Pressure.
-COOK TIME: set manual time to 5 minutes
-After pasta is done cooking, let the pressure release, then drain pasta.

FAVORITE Pizza Dough

Original recipe found here

1 1/4 cups warm water

1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

3 1/3 cups flour (it was a little too sticky for me with only 3 cups)

Instructions:

-In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.

-Set oven to lowest setting (my oven is 170*). TURN OFF once the oven is preheated!! This is a warm spot for the dough to rise more quickly.

-Add 3 1/3 cups flour and salt to stand mixer. Add yeast mixture to the flour and let the machine knead the dough for 2-3 minutes. 

-Grease large bowl, add pizza dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set in warmed oven (AGAIN: make sure your oven in turned off!). 

-Let dough rise for 45 minutes-1 hour, until it's doubled in size.

-Remove from oven, push the dough down with your fist, then put it on your counter. Roll it out to the desired size, put on your pan of choice, and add toppings. 

-Bake at 450* for 10-12 minutes

Double Recipe 

2 1/2 cups warm water

1 tsp active dry yeast

2 tsp honey

1 tsp fine sea salt

6 2/3 cups flour

Triple Recipe

3 3/4 cups warm water

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3 tsp honey

1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

10 cups flour 

Orange Bow-Knot Cinnamon Rolls

*recipe from Barbara Burningham*

(yields 3-4 dozen)

Dough:

2 cups warm water

2 TBSP yeast

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

5 eggs, beaten

2 tsp salt

8 1/2 cups flour

Dipping Mixture:

1 1/4 cups butter

3 cups sugar

6 TBSP cinnamon

Glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

Milk

1) Preheat oven to lowest setting, then turn off. 

2) Mix all ingredients in stand mixer (or spoon) until combined (dough will be sticky). Place dough in greased bowl, spray top of dough with cooking spray, then lay plastic wrap over the dough. Place in warm oven (with the temperature turned OFF) for about 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

3) Melt 1 1/4 cups of butter in microwave or on the stove. Mix 3 cups sugar and 6 TBSP cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.

4) Roll out dough on a large floured surface. Brush some of the melted butter on the rolled out dough with a basting brush until the top layer of dough is covered, then sprinkle some of the cinnamon/sugar mix over top of the butter.

5) Carefully fold the dough in half once.

6) Repeat brushing butter on the top of the folded dough, and sprinkle part of the cinnamon and sugar.

7) Carefully fold the dough in half one more time. Roll out dough once more to about 1/3 inch thick. 

8) Using a pizza cutter, cut strips of dough about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.

9) Take one strip of dough, dip it into the melted butter (making sure the dough strip is coated in butter), then coat it in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Tie dough strip into a knot, and place on a greased pan. Repeat process with each strip of dough.

10) Let rolls rise for 45 minutes.

11) Bake rolls at 350º for 15-20 minutes. **Using a baking mat (such as Silpat) will help prevent any burning on the bottoms of rolls

12) Move rolls to cooling rack, cover with glaze, and let cool.

Mississippi Roast

Original recipe found here

• 3-6 lbs Chuck Roast, cut into 1 pound chunks of even thickness
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 9 pepperoncinis, whole or chopped
• 2 TBSP pepperoncini juice from the jar
• 3/4 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
• 1 (1 oz) packet Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
• 1 (1 oz) packet Au Jus
• 1/2 stick of butter

For Gravy

• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 3 Tbsp Softened Butter, unsalted

Brown the meat (this stage is optional):

1. Turn pot on Sauté mode (normal). When the display reads "Hot" add the oil.
2. When oil heats up, place meat in one layer into the pot and don't move it for 5 full minutes (Don't brown for less than that).
3. Turn meat over and cook for another 5 full minutes.
4. Remove the meat to foil or a dish you can cover. Wrap it to keep it warm.
5. Deglaze the pot: Add onion to pot and stir, add a bit of the beef broth or a small amount of water if there is not enough moisture to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot until the bottom is free of the stuck on brown bits.
6. Add the pepperoncinis and their juice, beef broth, au jus and ranch packets, and butter. Stir to combine.
7. Turn off the sauté mode.
8. Add the meat back into the pot.
9. Close the pressure cooker lid, and set for 60 minutes on HIGH pressure.
10. When timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes (this just means you just let it sit in the pressure cooker without doing a single thing to it yet). After the 15 minutes, release the rest of the pressure manually. 

11. Open the lid and remove the roast onto a plate and cover.

12. Turn the Sauté function back on.

13. Mix the flour and butter together until well combined.

14. When the liquid is starting to simmer, add the mixture to the pot, stirring well until thickened. Then turn off the pot.

Serve with gravy on the side OR put the roast back into the gravy and shred it. 

Creamy Spinach Chicken

Original recipe found here

3-4 chicken breasts, cut length-wise to make 6-8 thin breasts

16 oz bacon, broken into small pieces

4 TBSP butter

2 tsp minced garlic

1 cup heavy cream

4 oz cream cheese

9 oz fresh baby spinach

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

salt to taste

1) Preheat oven to 375* F

2) Spray 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray, then lay pre-cut chicken into pan without overlapping.

3) Cut bacon into bite size pieces and cook in frying pan. Remove bacon from grease, and set aside on a paper towel. Remove bacon grease from pan.

4) Using the same frying pan you used for the bacon, melt butter on medium heat, then add garlic. Saute for about 1 minute. 

5) Pour in heavy cream and cream cheese and whisk until cream cheese has melted and its a smooth sauce. 

6) Add baby spinach to cream sauce and stir (still over medium heat) until spinach wilts.

7) Sprinkle bacon crumbles evenly over the chicken breasts, the pour the spinach & cream sauce over top of bacon and chicken. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.

8) Cook for about 30 minutes. Let cook for 5-10 minutes before serving.

**Serve over rice or red mashed potatoes