Cinnamon Apple Pecan Squares

Ingredients:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 
1 tablespoon Cinnamon Extract  
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract  
1 egg 
3/4 cup flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Mix sugar, butter and extracts in large bowl until well blended. 
3. Stir in egg. 
4. Add flour and baking powder; mix well. 
5. Stir in pecans and apples.
6. Spread in greased 8-inch square pan.
7. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 
8. Cool in pan on wire rack. 
9. Cut into 16 squares.

Note:  1 cup chopped walnuts can be substituted for the pecans if desired.

Almond Apple Bars

Crust ingredients:

1 1/4 C. all purpose flour 
1/2 t. kosher salt (or 1/4 t. table salt) 
3 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp. 
2 oz. (4 T.) unsalted butter, softened at room temp. 
1/4 t. pure almond extract 
1/4 t. pure vanilla extract 
1/4 C. granulated sugar 
1/4 C. light brown sugar 
1/3 C. almonds, finely chopped

Topping ingredients:

2 T. all purpose flour 
2 T. granulated sugar 
2 T. light brown sugar 
1/4 C. almonds, coarsely chopped

Filling ingredients:

5 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temp. 
1/2 C. granulated sugar 
1 large egg 
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice 
pinch of salt 
2-3 medium (~ 1 lb) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & cut into thin slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment. 
3. Butter the parchment.

To make the crust:

1. Sift flour and salt. 
2. Set aside dry ingredients.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. 
5. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
6. On low speed, mix in the flour-salt mixture and the 1/3 cup of finely chopped almonds just until the dough comes together. It should be crumbly.
7. Reserve about 2/3 cup of the crust mixture (for the topping). 
8. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. 
9. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until light golden, about 16-18 minutes. 
10. Remove crust from the oven.

To make the topping:

1. While the crust bakes, make the topping by adding the flour, granulated and brown sugars to the reserved dough. 
2. Mix until well combined. It should be crumbly. 
3. Set aside topping and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds while you make the filling.

To make the filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
2. Beat in the egg, lemon juice and salt until well mixed.

To assemble:

1. Arrange the apple slices over your baked crust. 
2. Pour the cream cheese filling over the apples and gently spread the filling to cover. 
3. Crumble the topping over the filling. 
4. Sprinkle with the almonds. 
5. Bake until light golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. 
6. Let the bars cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. 

Makes one 9x9 inch square pan

Lemon and Lavender Cuticle Cream

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Shea Butter
½ oz. Cocoa Butter
¼ oz. Beeswax
½ tsp. Vitamin E Oil or Coconut Oil
5 drops Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil

Directions:

1. Add the butters, beeswax and coconut oil (if using) to the double boiler, and heat gently to melt, stirring occasionally.
2. When fully melted, turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. Before cuticle balm starts to solidify add the vitamin E oil (if using) and essential oils.
4. Mix gently to combine ingredients and pour into your container.
5. Leave to fully cool and set.

Use daily, and when your cuticles need a little extra moisturizer.  Keep in mind that a little goes a long way.

Chicken Tenders with Spicy Tomato and Black Beans

Ingredients

12 (about 1 1/4 lb) chicken tenders  

1/2 tsp. chili powder 

1 10-oz can mild diced tomatoes and green chilis

½ 15.5-oz can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

½ cup fat-free sour cream

Directions

1. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces evenly with chili powder.
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. 
3. Coat skillet with cooking spray, cook chicken 2 minutes or until browned on one side, turn, and top with the tomatoes and beans. 
4. Bring to a boil (over medium-high heat), and cook for 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.
5. Remove from heat and drizzle the oil evenly over all. 
6. Serve in shallow soup bowls, topped with sour cream.

Serves 4

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/2 cup flour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Dried oregano to taste
4 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Marsala wine

Directions:

1. Pound chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap (or in a plastic zipper bag) until about 1/4" thickness.
2. Combine flour, salt, pepper and oregano in a mixing bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook chicken breasts on medium heat for about 2 minutes on the first side, until lightly browned.
5. Turn breasts over to cook other side, then add mushrooms to skillet.
6. Cook breasts about 2 more minutes, until both sides are lightly browned.
7. Continue to stir mushrooms.
8. Add Marsala wine around chicken pieces.
9. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
10. Transfer to serving plate.

Serves 4
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  30 minutes

One Pot Pasta

Ingredients

12 ounces pasta
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. 
2. Pour in vegetable broth. 
3. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano.
4. Drizzle top with oil.
5. Cover pot and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. 
7. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. 
9. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Dumplins

This recipe is very similar to Cracker Barrel's Chicken n' Dumplins.

Ingredients:

 

2 cups Flour

½ teaspoons Baking Powder

1 pinch Salt

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Cup buttermilk, A Bit Less Than A Full Cup (you can use regular milk if needed)

2 quarts Chicken Broth

3 cups Cooked Chicken

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.
2. Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter. I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.
3. Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 1"x1". They do not have to be uniform or exact.
4. Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.
5. To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they are not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot, stir and you are done!