Almond Cheesecake Bars

Taken from Paula Deen

1 3/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp almond flavored liqueur
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 300. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan.

In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs, chopped almonds, brown sugar, and butter. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and liqueur. Bake 45 minutes, or until set. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Let cool completely before cutting. Store in refrigerator.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Taken from epicurious.com

3 slices firm white sandwich bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
20 large (2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter) white mushrooms (1 lb)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsleyPreheat oven to 400°F.

Tear bread into pieces and pulse to coarse crumbs in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and toss with oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until golden, 6 to 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl.

Pull stems from mushroom caps (to create space for stuffing) and finely chop stems. Put mushroom caps, stemmed sides down, in a lightly oiled large shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until mushrooms exude liquid, about 10 minutes, then remove from oven.

While mushroom caps are baking, melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté chopped stems, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, oregano, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Cool vegetables slightly, then add to bread crumbs along with cheese and parsley and toss well.

Turn mushroom caps over, then mound mushroom filling in mushroom caps, pressing gently (there will be some filling left over). Bake in middle of oven until mushrooms are tender and stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cranberry Pecan Tart

Taken from Paula Deen magazine

Cream Cheese Pastry
(makes 1 (10 inch) tart crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, chilled
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese
3 tbsp ice water

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, butter, and cream cheese. Process until mixture is crumbly. With food processor running, add water, 1 tbsp at a time, until mixture comes together and forms a ball. Flatten dough into a disc, and wrap tightly into heavy-duty plastic wrap; chill for 30 minutes.

1 recipe Cream Cheese Pastry (recipe above)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat over to 350. Press Cream Cheese Pastry into bottom and up sides of a 10 inch deep-dish tart pan with removable bottom. Cover pastry with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool; remove pie weights.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in melted butter. Add corn syrup , whisking to combine. Stir in pecans and cranberries. Pour egg mixture into crust. Bake for 45 to 48 minutes, or until set. Let cool completely before cutting.

Smashed Potatoes

Taken from Cooks Illustrated

2 lbs Red Bliss potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter), unpeeled and scrubbed
Table salt
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and warm
1/2 cup cream cheese (4 oz), room temperature
Ground black pepper
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)

1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with 1 inch cold water, add 1 tsp salt and bay leaf. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until paring knife can be inserted into potatoes with no resistance, 35 to 45 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain potatoes. Return potatoes to pot, discard bay leaf, and allow potatoes to stand in pot, uncovered, until surfaces are dry, above 5 minutes.
2. While potatoes dry, whisk melted butter and softened cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth and fully incorporated. Add 1/4 cup of reserved cooking water, 1/2 tsp pepper, chives, and 1/2 tsp salt. Using Rubber spatula or back of a wooden spoon , smash potatoes just enough to break skins. Fold in butter-cream cheese mixture until most of the liquid has been absorbed and chunks of potatoes remain. Add more cooking water 1 tbsp at a time as needed, until potatoes are slightly looser than desired (potatoes will thicken slightly with standing). Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; serve immediately.
   

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Taken from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices cooked ham
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish, and sprinkle chicken evenly with bread crumbs.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from oven, and place 1/2 cheese slice on top of each breast. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove toothpicks, and serve immediately.

Snickerdoodles

1 cup shortening (or butter)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 400. Mix shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Blend flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; stir in. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in mixture of 2 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon. Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Legal Seafoods - Cranberry Bog Lemon Martini

2 ½ ounces Absolut Citron Vodka
3 ounces cranberry puree (buy frozen or make fresh)
½ ounce sour mix
1 dash Angostura bitters
3 fresh cranberries for garnish

Combine vodka, cranberry puree, sour mix, and bitters in an ice–filled shaker. Shake vigorously six to eight times and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with three cranberries.

Garlic and Citrus Chicken

Taken from Giada De Laurentiis

1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
Kitchen string or butcher twinePosition the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string to help hold its shape. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan. Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally and adding some chicken broth to the pan, if necessary, to prevent the pan drippings from burning. Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil, oregano, and chopped garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture over the chicken, after it has baked 1 hour. Continue roasting the chicken until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, basting occasionally with the juice mixture and adding broth to the pan, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with foil while making the sauce (do not clean the pan).

Place the same roasting pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the sauce. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.