Rosemary Garlic Biscuits

I saw this recipe posted on SkinnyTaste.com and thought they would be a perfect addition to a Holiday dinner menu. Everyone at the table was impressed with these biscuits. The rosemary and garlic was delicious and flavorful! Using the Bisquick made this recipe much easier to make than making the biscuits completely from scratch. Perfect for entertaining guests!

 

Recipe:

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick

3 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup fat free milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt butter in a small pan, add oil and half the garlic; saute on low heat about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add chopped rosemary.
3. In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, Parmesan cheese, and remaining garlic. Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix). Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (about 1.5 oz each) onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

A couple notes:

This recipe provides 14 servings. I didn't have that many guests so I made the biscuits a bit larger and made 10 biscuits. They were perfect!

I added an extra clove of garlic to the pan to saute in olive oil. I am a garlic lover!

Watch the biscuits carefully while they are in the oven so they don't get too brown on top.

Enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Patties

One of my good friends was telling me about these amazing Homemade Peppermint Patties that she had made for her family during the holidays. I immediately asked her for the recipe knowing that peppermint patties are a favorite in my family. This recipe did the trick! So rich, refreshing and easy to make! This is a recipe that I will definitely be using again!

Recipe:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

¼ teaspoon vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

drop of peppermint extract

1-2 cups chocolate chips

1. In an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth. Scoop into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to set.
2. Once firm, roll into one-inch balls. Push down to flatten. Set in freezer for another 60 minutes.
3. Melt chocolate chips in a double-boiler. Remove patties from freezer and dip in chocolate, setting on wax paper. Freeze again until ready to eat.

A couple notes:

The peppermint dough was pretty sticky and I had a little bit of trouble rolling into balls because it was sticking to my hands so much. To fix this, I sprinkled a small amount of powdered sugar on my hands to keep the dough from sticking.

The dough balls must be very cold before dipping them into the melted chocolate or the patties will start to melt and lose their form when dipped in the chocolate.

Instead of dipping the patties into the chocolate, try dropping a spoonful of chocolate over the patties. I found this method to be much easier.

Enjoy!

Rum Balls

This is a very fun and festive holiday treat! Thank you Martha Stewart. These balls are formed using a batch of brownies that has been broken into bits and flavored with dark rum. The flavors of this dessert are rich with chocolate and rum. This is definitely a treat for adults. The addition of rum is not ideal for the kiddies. This recipe is especially fun to make for special events because you can play with the sugar coating, using different colors or even different toppings. These will impress guests and look beautiful on the party table!

 

Recipe:

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3 large eggs

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum

Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-by-17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Whist together eggs, brown sugar,vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in chocolate mixture, then fold in flour. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until top is shiny and a cake tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Bread up brownie into small pieces; transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With machine on low speed, pour in rum, and mix until crumbs start to come together to form a ball.
4. Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in sanding sugar to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate, uncovered, until cold, about 2 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A couple notes:

I didn't have an electric mixer with a paddle attachment so I used my hand mixer and it worked just fine.

The recipe calls for ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum. I found this to be quite a bit of rum. You can use less to flavor to your taste.

Coarse sugar seems to work the best with this recipe although you can use granulated sugar.

Eat Responsibly!

Coconut Cookies

I've been looking for fun new dessert recipes to make for the holidays. I loved this recipe because it is different than the traditional holiday cookie. This recipe came from SkinnyTaste.com. These Coconut Cookies are similar to a macaroon, but with the addition of cornflake crumbs. They are sweet and easily made gluten-free. Very delicious and easy to make. Great choice for a holiday treat!

Recipe:

3 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon cream of tarter

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

¾ cup cornflake crumbs (from 2 cups cornflakes crushed almost to powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. White the egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar into a meringue until you form to form to form thick soft peaks, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Fold in the coconut and cornflake crumbs.
4. Drop by spoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden.

A couple notes:

I used a hand mixer to whip the egg whites, cream of tarter and sugar. It took about 10 minutes to whip until thick soft peaks formed.

For the cornflake crumbs, you can buy crushed cornflakes in many supermarkets, but if you wish to make your own, just put them in the food processor and crush until very fine. This is the method that I used. If you would like to make this recipe gluten-free, you can purchase gluten-free crushed cornflakes.

I used a tablespoon to spoon the dough onto the parchment lined cookie sheets. I found this to be the best method.

Enjoy!

Brussels Sprout Gratin

I am always looking for new recipes for brussels sprouts. I wanted to try out this creamy brussels sprout casserole because it sounded like a healthy and tasty side dish for any holiday meal. I found this recipe on the Eating Well website. This healthy version doesn't include any heavy cream or butter. Huge plus! This recipe has quite a few steps but its actually quite simple to make. The gratin was very tasty and pleased everyone in the family!

Recipe:

2 ½ pounds Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)

2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white or black pepper

2 ½ cups low-fat milk

1 ½ cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs

1. Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425 degrees.
2. Toss brussels sprouts in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil until well coated. Divide between 2 baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Roast, stirring once and rotating the pans top to bottom about halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring for 1 minute more. Add milk and continue to stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. When the brussels sprouts are done, remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.
5. Transfer half the brussels sprouts to a 2-quart, broiler-safe baking dish. Spread half the sauce over the brussels sprouts. Add the remaining brussels sprouts and top with the remaining sauce.
6. Combine breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl.
7. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the gratin. Place under the broiler and broil, watching closely, until the gratin is bubbling and beginning to brown on top, 1 to 5, depending on your broiler. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

A couple notes:

I simplified this recipe by placing the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet after I halved/quartered them. Then, I drizzled olive oil, salt and pepper over the brussels sprouts.

Instead of using 2 baking sheets, I only used 1 baking sheet and baked in the oven for 20 minutes.

Make sure to keep an eye on your gratin while its in the broiler. It only took about 2 minutes for mine to brown on top.

I used Organic Breadcrumbs from Trader Joe's. To make your own, please follow these directions: Trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

This is a soup that I absolutely love. I've cooked a couple different types of soups over the last couple months so I thought I was ready to make my first French Onion Soup. This is one of Tyler Florence's recipes that I found on the Food Network website. I decided to make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of beef broth. I was worried that removing the beef broth flavor would dramatically alter the taste of the soup. The flavor turned out absolutely amazing! I used Petite Sirah from Trader Joe's in the soup and it added a nice rich flavor. This recipe will provide about 6 servings and is a perfect choice for a dinner party. Everyone will absolutely love it! 

Recipe:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup red wine, about ½ bottle

3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth

1 baguette, sliced

½ pound grated Gruyere

1. Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
3. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
4. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
5. Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for beef broth to make this a vegetarian dish.

I used a whole wheat baguette for a hearty texture in the soup.

It takes a few minutes longer for the wine to evaporate than the recipe says but the flavor is worth the wait.

Next time I make this recipe (which will be very soon) I will make croutons to put on top of the soup instead of the slice of bread. Instructions for that method are here:

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Enjoy!

Almond Butter Balls

This recipe was passed down from my grandmother and it is absolutely delicious. These cookies make a wonderful gift or party treat. They are very fun and easy to make! You can form the balls as big or as small as you would like. I prefer them to be a bit on the smaller size so that they make a perfect bite-sized treat!

 

Recipe:

1 cup butter

3 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup diced almonds

Powdered Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add flavorings.
3. Stir in flour and almonds. Blend well.
4. Form dough into tiny balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Roll balls in powdered sugar while still hot.

A couple notes:

I used ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to add extra almond flavor.

Enjoy!