Macaroni Grill's Carmella's Chicken Rigatoni

Taken from Lauren's Kitchen

Butter
8oz baby bella mushrooms
1/2 sweet onion caramelized
8 oz grilled chicken breasts (chunked)
salt and pepper
2t dried basil
4oz of Marsala wine
10 oz heavy cream
12oz rigatoni (cooked)
2oz shredded Parmesan

Melt butter in pan. Saute mushrooms, chicken, basil, caramelized onions salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add Marsala wine and cook for 1 minute.

Add heavy cream and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Dump cooked rigatoni in pan (if you have room in your pan. If not dump mixture over bowl of cooked rigatoni and mix.

Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Banana Bread Waffles

Taken from The Novice Chef

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. warm milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1½ tsp. yeast
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of ground ginger
Dash of ground clove
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 whole bananas)
2 tbsp. sour cream

In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, warm milk and vanilla extract. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt and spices. Whisk together to blend. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk just until smooth. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours. When you are ready to make the waffles, remove the batter from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. It should be about doubled in size and there should be small bubbles on the surface.

Add the mashed bananas and sour cream or yogurt to the batter. Whisk lightly to incorporate into the batter. Cook in a preheated waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve as desired with maple syrup and banana slices.

Bubbe's Brisket

Taken from Not Your Bubbe's Kitchen

The ingredients:

2 cups yellow onion (about 2 medium large onions), sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large carrots, chopped

2 large celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

2.5 lbs of beef brisket

1 tbsp kosher salt

cracked black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup of water

4 cups of pale dry ginger ale - it's about 1 liter.

1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar1/2 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup- brown sugar & hickory BBQ sauce

a touch of honey (maybe 1 tbsp-- yes, eye ball it)

4 Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

Slice the onions, mince the garlic. In the meanwhile, set your crockpot to high).

In your dutch oven or crock pot insert (make sure it's one that can be used on the stove top!), heat 1 tbsp of the oil.

Add the sliced onions and minced garlic until onions are translucent in color; and softer to touch.

Remove onions and garlic for the time being to a small bowl.

Add other tbsp of oil to crock pot. Season brisket with half the salt and some pepper. Place this

side down in the crock pot. Season the other side with remaining salt and more pepper. Let each side of the brisket cook on high for about 3 minutes- until the brisket is more brown and has a bit of a crust on it.

Next, add the onions/garlic back to the crock pot.

Place the crock pot insert into the crock pot. Add 1/4 cup water, 4 cups or so of ginger ale, the carrots, the celery, the ketchup, the brown sugar, the bbq sauce, the honey, and the bay leaf.

Cook this on high for 6- 8 hours. When it is done, place it in the fridge over night.

Wake up the next morning, and place it in your crock pot again. Add the quartered potatoes. Cook on high for 4 more hours.

In a small bowl, take 1 -2 tbsp of cornstarch and add some water- enough to dissolve the cornstarch. Add this mixture to the crock pot.

Now, set the crock pot to low for another 4 hours.

Orange Cranberry Scones

Taken from The Novice Chef

2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse, or 1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and stir into flour mixture. If using dried fruit, add to flour mixture.

In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick square (about 8 inches in diameter) and cut out as many triangles as possible, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Arrange triangles about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Taken from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef (85/15)
1 slice day old bread, processed into crumbs
4 strips bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (any color of your choice)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except the ketchup and mix to combine.

Place mixture in a standard loaf pan or divide the mixture equally between 4 mini loaf pans. Top the meatloaf with the ketchup.

Place filled loaf pan(s) on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour if in a standard loaf pan, or 30-35 minutes if in mini loaf pans.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.original Joelen recipe

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

Taken from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Brownie Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients:
7 ounces mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate, butter, and 2/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips on medium heat. Stir occasionally while melting. Set aside and cool for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, place the eggs and whisk thoroughly. Add in the sugar and vanilla. Stir the melted ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing well. Stir in the dry sifted ingredients and mix well. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and even with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the corner of the pan comes out with moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven, and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows over them. Return the pan to the oven for 3 more minutes.

While the brownies are baking, place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat, add the cereal, and mix well. Allow this to cool for 3 minutes or so.

Spread the mixture evenly over the marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting. Makes 12 3x3-inch bars

Cheesy Turkey Meatloaf Bites

Taken from Weelicious

1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb ground turkey

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray
3. Place all ingredients except turkey into a food processor and pulse until vegetables are in small pieces
4. Combine turkey and vegetable mixture in a bowl
   
5. Place meatloaf mixture in the muffin pan and pack down with a spoon
6. Bake for 20 minutes