Allie's Pear Pecan Salad

• 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
• 5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

steel cut oats

yum yum...aimee and shante brought this to my life:

cook up some steel cut outs

put in a bowl that you can broil in the oven

add

cinn.

1 TBSP almond butter

vanilla

1/2 banana

broil for a minute

add half and half

Pressure Cooker black beans for tacos

This is for Tacos

pre-soak half a bag of black beans

2 garlic cloves

1 onion

cooked up in olive oil

red pepper cut up

taco seasoning

black beans

1/2 cup brown lentils

water til just covered

pressure cook for 18 min.

add 1 can of tomato sauce and mush up.

serve on tortillas with cheese, lettuce and guac.

Focaccia Bread

• Ingredients

  * 1 cup very warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.) * 2 Tbsp. sugar * 2 pkgs active dry yeast * 1/2 cup olive oil * 1 tsp. Salt * 1/2 tsp. dried Rosemary, crushed * 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed * 2 Tbsp. dry milk * 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced * 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour (you may use half wheat, half white) *

  Method

  Dissolve sugar in warm water in a large bowl; add yeast. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until a sponge is formed. Add oil, salt, herbs, dry milk, and garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Slowly add flour (2 cups at first). Beat for 3 minutes on high with mixer. Then add remaining flour, turning dough on to floured surface to knead. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Put dough in a bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour. Punch down, let rest for 5 minutes, then form it into 10-inch round loaf on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Press the handle of a wooden spoon into the loaf at 1-inch intervals, about 1/2-inch deep. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden. Brush with olive oil when done. Cool on a wire rack.

  
  

heath cookies

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
   
   
2. 2 Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in toffee bits.
   
   
3. 3 Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

hershey's recipes

Homemade Tortillas

2c. flour (whole wheat or half and half)

1/4c. oil

salt 1/2 tsp

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c. water

knead dough til it looks good. add more flour if it's sticking to hands

cut a ziplock

oil the insides

smash with a pot

start heating pan on low while you make dough so it's really hot. cook on med or med-high. 30 sec. per side.

Pressure Cooker Lentil Pasta Sauce

FOUR JARS:

3 garlic cloves

1 onion browned in olive oil

4 cans tomatoes: diced or crushed (mushed)

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato sauce

2 bouillon cubes

salt

basil

1 to 1 1/4 c brown lentils

sugar

Indian style Crockpot curry chicken

Ingredients

• 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Few dashes hot sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 large eggplant, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 14-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 6 thighs)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• White rice
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to garnish
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, to garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, to garnish
• 1 cup chopped toasted peanuts, to garnish
• 1/4 cup mango chutney, to garnish

Preparation

In the bowl of a crock pot combine the coconut milk, tomato paste, curry powder, coriander, cumin, and hot sauce. To that add the onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, eggplant, sweet potatoes, chick peas, and chicken. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and then turn the crock pot on to high heat, cover it, and let the curry stew for about 4 hours or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve the curry with prepared rice and garnish with lemon wedges, scallions, cilantro, peanuts and mango chutney.

Rachel Ray.com

peanut butter cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package butter cake mix
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
2. Combine 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each one. Add cake mix alternately with the water. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Allow cakes to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Assemble and frost with Peanut Butter Frosting once cool.
4. To Make Peanut Butter Frosting: Combine 1 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 cup butter or margarine cream together until light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar. Mix in enough cream to make the frosting of a spreading consistency. Apply to cool cake.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/peanut-butter-cake-ii/Detail.aspx

Giant Pretzels
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast, or 1 packet
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. warm water, about 110 degrees F (make sure it's not too cold and not too hot. It's gotta be just right to get that yeast growing.)
3 c. flour
1 c. bread flour
2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp baking soda
3 Tbsp melted butter
Coarse Kosher Salt

In your mixing bowl add yeast, brown sugar and salt. Pour in water and give it a quick stir. Leave it alone until you start seeing that yeast bubble up and grow, about 5-10 minutes. Then add your flour and with your hook start mixing it until it's smooth and elasticy. (Is that a word?) If you don't have mixer with a hook then you'll need to knead the dough about 8 minutes until it's smooth and elasticy. Pour a little veggie oil in a big bowl and plop your dough in there and move it around to get that oil all over the dough. Cover and let raise for about an hour or until double in size.

Combine your 2 c. warm water and baking soda in a pie pan or 8 inch casserole dish.

When the dough is done seperate dough into 12 parts. Roll your pieces out into 3 foot ropes, (Roll it out about half way and set aside, and when your done rolling out your last one go back to your first and it will be easier to roll it out into a 3 foot rope.) Shape them into pretzels, and dip them in your baking soda solution and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Let rise 15-20 minutes.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until a golden brown. Remove from oven and brush on melted butter and sprinkle with salt. These are also good with parmasean cheese, cinnamon sugar, garlic salt, or whatever else you would want to experiment with.

thanks to Monica and Erica from: "mycupcakejourney"