Christmas Crack

 I decided to try Christmas crack this year and it is ADDICTING! I like to bake mine a little longer and let the Carmel caramelize a bit longer so it's all dissolved and a little crispier. Best stored in the fridge. We also like a few mint m&m's sprinkled on with the sprinkles.

Ritz Cracker Toffee Recipe

Ingredients:
40 Ritz crackers (enough to fill cookie sheet, also can do saltines but the ritz are super good)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sprinkles, m&m's

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. Place ritz crackers on the sheet and spread out into rows
4. In a pan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil
5. Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 – 3 minutes, until thickened (at least 5)
6. Pour over ritz crackers and spread out evenly with a rubber spoon or spatula
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 3 – 5 (closer to 10) minutes, until the edges start to brown and bubble. The whole cracker will bubble.
8. Remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with the chocolate chips over the top
9. Allow chocolate chips to set and melt for around 5 minutes, then use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread the chocolate out evenly. Top with sprinkles or toppings of your choice
10. Place ritz toffee in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes, or until set
11. Once hardened, use your hands to break the toffee into pieces
12. Store ritz toffee in an airtight ziploc bag or glass jars in the fridge or freeze if needed to save longer.

via: https://www.lifeoncedarlane.com/the-ritz-cracker-toffee-recipe-you-need-to-try-now/ 

Kale Salad with Warm Vinaigrette

 

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/4 onion thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons agave
• juice and zest of half a lemon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 bunch kale chopped and massaged with some olive oil 
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta, goat cheese or asiago cubed or white cheddar 

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute for at least 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add cranberries, red wine vinegar, honey and lemon juice and zest, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, toss the kale with olive oil and an extra pinch of salt, and massage kale with your fingers for 1 minute until tender. Add in the cranberry/shallot mixture and almonds, and toss to combine. Serve topped with crumbled cheese if desired.

Adapted from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/kale-salad-warm-cranberry-vinaigrette-recipe/#tasty-recipes-65433

Holiday Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Ingredients:

12 oz fresh, uncooked cranberries

¼ cup green onion diced

1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers

2 Tbsp. cilantro (optional)

¾ to 1 cup sugar (according to taste)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or lime juice

1/8 tsp salt

16 oz cream cheese (whipped) (can do 1/2 cream cheese if wanted)

Directions:

Use food chopper to chop cranberries (or if in food processor do in batches and only pulse a few times)

Chop green onion, jalapeño and cilantro

Mix chopped ingredients in a medium sized bowl

Add sugar, lemon juice and salt and stir gently until blended

Cover and place in refrigerator (at least a few hour or overnight)

Whip softened cream cheese about 2 minutes on high, and spread into pie plate. Drain cranberry mixture and spoon over top of cream cheese. Serve with Ritz crackers or tortilla chips. 

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies

 These were really good and a good way to use up some of my end of season zucchini. I of course increased the zucchini. And usually leave a bit of the sugar out. The zucchini ends up having a coconut texture so they're kinda cowboy cookie ish. I did chill the dough the full 2 hours and they were perfect. 

via: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/zucchini-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/#tasty-recipes-83197-jump-target

• 1 1/2 cups (140g) shredded & blotted zucchini (see step 1) (I did add the extra half cup and eyeballed it)
• 2 cups (160g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats.
• 1 1/4 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (I increased the flour here too)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed dark or light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup*
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Lightly blot the shredded zucchini with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. No need to squeeze out all the moisture; gently blotting is plenty. You need 1 cup (140g) of shredded, lightly blotted zucchini. Set aside until step 4. (Or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. It can be cold when you add it to the dough.)
2. Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix on high until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients and the zucchini to the wet ingredients, then mix on low speed until combined. With the mixer still running on low speed, beat in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
6. Scoop or roll cookie dough, a heaping 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft. For crispier edges, bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops– this is only for looks! Cookies are extra soft out of the oven, but become chewier as they cool.
8. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Greek Salad Dressing

 https://cooktoria.com/greek-salad-dressing/#recipe

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. honey optional
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper

Place in mason jar and shake. 

Yoghurt Marinated Chicken Kabobs with Garlic Tumeric Rice

 These were really yummy. Not hit you in the face flavor but just mild yummy goodness. This is one of those meals we eat and realize why we never go out. Meals like this are just so tasty at home. We had this with a salad and some greek dressing. 

https://www.cookerru.com/easy-chicken-kebabs/

Chicken Kabobs:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs removed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces ( Used some chicken tenders as well)
• 1 cup red onion, red and green bell peppers, zucchini or any vegetables of choice
• garlic turmeric rice or any other sides such as naan or salad, to serve
• fresh parsley, lemon, and/or yogurt sauceto serve, optional

Yogurt Marinade

• 1 cup plain yogurt 2% or full fat recommended
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano dried, or 1 tbsp fresh
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine all marinade ingredients in a large container or food storage bag. Add chicken, red onion, and bell peppers, and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. 
• Preheat the oven to 450°F (or 230°C). Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil or any broiler-safe material (for grilling instructions, please see the notes below).
• Thread the marinated chicken and vegetables onto skewers, and bake for about 20-25 minutes until cooked through and golden brown, flipping the skewers halfway through and being careful not to overcook.
• Optional - switch the oven to broil for about 2-3 minutes for a lightly charred finish. Garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and/or yogurt sauce as desired and serve immediately. Enjoy!
  Grilling instructions: preheat, grease, and grill the kebabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. 

  I recommend using metal skewers, but if using wooden skewers, I recommend soaking them in water for at least half an hour before using them to protect them from burning in the oven. 
  

  Garlic Tumeric Rice:

  
  https://www.cookerru.com/garlic-turmeric-rice/
  

  INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
  • 1/2 medium onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 cups basmati rice or your choice of long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • chicken kebabs or any grilled veggies, seafood, or meat to serve

  INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat butter over medium heat, until completely melted and bubbling. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add turmeric and stir to incorporate. Mix in the rice until the grains are evenly coated. 
  • Add stock, salt, and pepper over the mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside for at least 5 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork. 

  
  

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake

This is one of many lime recipes I've tried to find something like the key lime pie from Costco. My latest thought was that it's more like a cheesecake so I tried this key lime cheesecake. It turned out SO good. Like high quality restaurant status. This was actually my first baked cheesecake. They've always intimidated me. Callen's ultimate compliment last night was that I should open my own place to feed other people because I cook so good. I increased the lime juice but would recommend 8 TBSP lime juice. It was moist, creamy and didn't sit heavy with you. You can do the normal crust but I opted to use Daphnie Oz's key lime pie crust and it was perfect. B was so pleased and said it's my best ever and wants it again!

Ingredients

Crust
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 
  

or: I did this one:

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 ½ cups of cookie crumbs, from roughly 2 cups of graham crackers & Biscoff cookies (I used 6 or so double sets of airline ones and crushed them in the food processor and added to have 1 1/2 cups total
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lime
6 tbsp butter, melted (plus 1T more if you need it to get a nice sandy texture)
Pinch of kosher salt, plus flaky salt to garnish (optional)

•Preheat oven to 350F.
•In a food processor, pulse the crackers, cookies and walnuts to make evenly textured crumbs.  Pinch together the sugar and lime zest to release the lime oils, then add with a pinch of salt to the cookie mix and pulse to combine.  
•In a medium mixing bowl, add 3 cups of the crumble and slowly pour in the melted butter, stirring to form a moist, sandy blend. Let sit 5 minutes to saturate the crumbs, then press this mixture into an 9-inch pie dish – I find a flat cup bottom very helpful for this, but fingertips work well, too!  Bake for 10 minutes until lightly toasted, then remove to the counter and set aside until you are ready to add the custard.

https://www.daphneoz.com/nourish/key-lime-pie/ 

Filling
• 2 1/2 sticks (20 oz. total) cream cheese at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons key lime juice (6 tablespoons if using regular lime juice) (I accidentally did 2/3 cup -whick B prefers- but would recommend 6-8TBSP of lime juice
Glaze (adapted from Creative Culinary)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons key lime/lime juice
Topping/Garnish
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (or make stabilized whipped cream)
• Sliced key limes/limes

Directions:

Mix graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl or plastic bag. Pour into a 7-inch spring form pan (I used a 9) that's been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully spread crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and press firmly all over. (I do prefer to prebake)

Put a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil on the bottom and up the sides of the spring from pan as a protective barrier to keep the water from getting into the cheesecake. (mine didn't leak I soaked up extra moisture with paper towels when I took it out) I also like to put my pan into an oven-proof plastic turkey bag (top open) and then put it in the water bath, just to ensure I don't get a soggy cheesecake.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a large shallow pan filled with 1 inch of water into the oven to create the water bath. 

In a large bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer), beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed. Gradually beat in the sugar, sour cream, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and lime juice and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

Pour the cheesecake filling into the spring form pan. Place the pan into the water bath in the oven. *After 8 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes, or until filling is puffed, set, and light brown. Remove from oven and from the water bath, and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled to room temperature, take the foil off, put a paper towel over the pan, and then cover with the foil (you can use a new piece of foil, but reusing is just as good).  Refrigerate overnight.

For the glaze, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, and lime juice in a small pan. Mix until smooth. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 3 minutes. Cool/chill until cool, but not set. 

Pour cooled glaze into the center and spread evenly with an offset or rubber spatula. Refrigerate until glaze is cold and firm. Pipe whipped cream around the top of the cheesecake, if desired. Garnish with lime slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 8 servings

http://www.food-pusher.com/2012/06/key-lime-cheesecake.html?m=1 

https://what2cook.net/key-lime-cheesecake-copy-cat-cheese-cake-factory/ 

*I messed up and didn't realize by cancelling the timer that I turned off the oven. So it went for 8 minutes coming down from 475. Then I turned it back up to 475, once it reached temp I turned it down to 350 and in my 9 inch springform pan it still took the full 40 minutes to set. I thought it would need less time but it was just perfect. It looks set, it will jiggle slightly when you take it out but it wasn't cracked, and wasn't golden. I didn't check the internal temp but it was baked just perfect. Really smooth and creamy. I made it the evening before and did the glaze around mid-morning/lunch time day of. Don't skip the glaze. It's good!