Yeast breads: Everything Bagels

Everything bagels are a common bagel that many people seem to enjoy. The secret to these is in the topping. You have to have a little of everything, which is why they're called everything bagels. If you're making them for yourself, and there's an ingredient you don't like, you can leave it out. For example, I don't like dried onion. When I make these for myself, I leave it out of the topping.


Ingredients


For the Bagels
1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey


For the Topping
1 egg
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes
1 tbsp coarse sea salt


Preparation


First, you must make the bagels. The actual bagel is the same as a plain bagel. Since we're using bread machine or quick rise yeast, there's no need to dissolve it. You can start making your dough right away. All of the bagel ingredients except for the honey should be placed in a large bowl. Mix them together with your hands until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until you have a soft and elastic dough, about 5 to 10 minutes.


Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Shape your bagels, either by rolling out the dough and using a bagel cutter or dividing the dough into 12 pieces and shaping those pieces into bagels. Either shaping method is acceptable.


Place the shaped bagels on a prepared baking sheet. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Fill a small pot with water and add honey. Bring to a boil on the stovetop. Boil bagels, one at a time, for at least 30 seconds, but not more than 2 minutes. The longer you boil them, the chewier they will be. Place boiled bagels back on the prepared baking sheet.


Preheat oven to 375°F. Now it's time to top the bagels. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it lightly. In a shallow dish, combine the rest of the topping ingredients so you have a poppy seed mixture. Make sure they are well mixed, and that the dish is large enough to dip the tops of the bagels into.


Using a pastry brush, brush egg over the top of one bagel. Immediately place the bagel, top down, into the poppy seed mixture. Move the bagel around a bit to make sure the top of it will be fully covered. Place covered bagel back on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining bagels.


Bake bagels for 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes approximately 12 bagels. They will keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.

Drop Cookies: Butterballs

As the name suggests, butter is the defining ingredient in this shortbread-type cookie. Don't substitute margarine. Margarine doesn't give the same flavor, which makes a butterball made with margarine no butterball at all.


Ingredients


½ cup butter, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup almonds, finely chopped
pinch of salt
powdered sugar


Preparation


Heat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and blend well. Add flour, almonds, and salt. Combine until you have a soft cookie dough.


Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place these on a prepared cookie sheet. Do not flatten. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until cookies are set and the bottoms are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute. Place extra powdered sugar in a shallow dish and roll warm cookies in the sugar before placing the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Yeast Breads: Variety Bagels

There's a lot you can do with an excellent bagel dough. You can leave them plain or top them with sesame or poppy seeds. They're not difficult, but they do take a little work. But if you have a free afternoon, you'll be enjoying fresh bagels in no time.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 egg
sesame seeds (optional)
poppy seeds (optional)


Preparation


Place flour and yeast in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add salt, brown sugar, and water. Combine until you have a loose dough, then turn this dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until you have a dough that is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes.


Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in size. This will take at least an hour. When the dough has sufficiently rise, punch down to remove all air bubbles. Roll out dough on a floured surface until dough is no thinner than ¼-inch. Closer to ½-inch is better. Use a bagel or doughnut cutter to cut out your bagels.


Alternatively, you can divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a bagel by hand. Do this by forming a ball with one piece of dough, then press your fingers through the center of the ball and stretch until you have a bagel-shape. It doesn't matter which shaping method you use.


Place your shaped bagels on a prepared baking tray. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes. In the meantime, fill a small pot with water and add the honey. Bring to a boil. Heat oven to 375°F. Place bagels, one at a time, in the pot and allow to boil for at least 30 second, but no more than 2 minutes. The longer they boil, the chewier they will be.


Remove bagels from the water with a slotted spoon and place them back on the baking tray. When all bagels have been boiled, crack the egg into a small bowl and lightly beat it. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg over the bagels. If desired, sprinkle bagels with poppy seeds or sesame seeds. I typically do a few of each.


Bake bagels for 20 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on wire racks.


This recipe makes 10 to 12 bagels.

Specialty Cookies: Meringue Buttons

These tiny meringue buttons are delightful on their own or as a garnish for other desserts. Try placing them on top of cakes and cupcakes, or using them to top cookies. You can make them larger or smaller, if you wish, depending on what, exactly, you intend to do with them.


Ingredients


2 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder


Preparation


Heat oven to 200°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper. It smokes in the oven. Do not use foil. It sticks to the meringue.


In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric beater at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, beating at high speed, until all sugar is dissolved and you have stiff and glossy peaks. Do not attempt to use meringue that does not form soft peaks in this recipe.


Fit a decorating bag with a decorating tip of your choice. I've used a plain decorating tip for the buttons in the picture, but you can use something with more of a pattern to it, if you desire. Pipe the meringue onto the parchment paper. You can make them larger or smaller, as you desire. My meringue buttons are about 1 inch across. If you make them this size, you'll get 50 to 60 buttons. Larger buttons will result in fewer cookies.


Bake meringues for 45 to 60 minutes, until meringues are firm and lightly browned. It is important not to allow them to over bake, so watch for the browning once they have been in the oven for 45 minutes. when you see the bottoms start to brown, remove from the oven.


Allow meringues to sit on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove carefully with a spatula. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.


Sprinkle meringues with cocoa powder before serving. When meringues are completely dry, you can store them loosely covered at room temperature, but do not place them in an airtight container.

Easy Side Dishes: Tortellini Salad

Fresh herbs are great in this dish, so use them if you can. If you absolutely cannot find fresh herbs, substitute 1 tbsp dried parsley and 1 tsp all other dried herbs for the fresh indicated in this recipe.


Ingredients


1 package cheese tortellini
½ cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)


Preparation


Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl. Cook peas according to package directions. Drain and add to the tortellini. Add parsley, basil, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and olive oil. Toss lightly until tortellini is covered in olive oil.


Cover and chill until ready to serve. Toss salad again immediately before serving. Add quartered cherry tomatoes on top, if desired.

Drop Cookies: Cookie Sandwiches

These cookies have a delicate caramel flavor. Use only butter, not margarine, in the filling. Margarine will not develop the same richness of flavor that butter will. In the cookie itself, however, you can use margarine if you like.


Ingredients


For the Cookies
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour


For the Filling
2 tbsp butter
1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 tsp milk


Preparation


Cream brown sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and blend until smooth. Mix in flour until you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to make handling the dough easier.


Heat oven to 325°F. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on a prepared cookie sheet. Flatten these balls with a fork dipped in flour. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Remove immediately from the cookie sheet and cool completely on wire racks.


When cookies are cool, it's time to make the filling. Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until butter is golden brown. Remove from heat and immediately mix in all other filling ingredients. Blend until smooth, then allow to cool slightly. Don't allow it to cool completely or it will become too hard to spread.


Spread about 1 teaspoon of filling on the bottom of one cookie. Top with a second cookie, making sure the bottom of the cookie is the side that touches the filling. Press cookies together slightly, then set aside on a wire rack. Repeat with other cookies.


Allow all cookies to sit until filling is set.


This recipe makes about 12 to 18 sandwich cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Yeast Breads: Basic Focaccia

This delicate Italian bread is typically round and flat and topped with rosemary and olive oil. There are endless opportunities to customize focaccia bread, but this basic version is a good place to start. Focaccia bread makes excellent sandwiches, especially grilled sandwiches.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried rosemary, crushed


Preparation


Place yeast and flour in a large bowl. Mix well, then add sugar and salt. Mix well again. Add water, butter, and egg. Mix until a loose dough forms. Turn this dough out onto a floured surface and knead until you have a sough that is soft and elastic. This will take about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a clean, nonmetal bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp towel.


Allow the dough to rise until doubled in size. This will take about an hour. Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Grease a large cookie sheet. Place dough on the cookie sheet and roll or press into a 12-inch circle. Cover loosely and allow to rise until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes.


Heat oven to 400°F. Uncover dough and use your finger to poke holes in the dough that are about ½-inch deep and 1-inch apart. Drizzle the 4 tbsp of olive oil over the dough. Sprinkle with rosemary. Bake dough for 20 minutes, until dough is browned and sounds hollow when tapped.


This bread will keep for up to 4 days if your store it in an airtight container.

Drop Cookies: Orange Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are soft and tender. They also melt in your mouth as they combine the delicate flavor of oranges with the sweetness of chocolate. This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate, but you can substitute milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate. If using white chocolate, you might even want to dye it different colors based on the occasion. Use your imagination.


Ingredients


For the Cookies
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1⅓ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp orange zest


For the Glaze
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and blend well. Add remaining cookie ingredients and combine until you have a soft dough. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly. You can use the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar to do this if you want.


Bake cookies for 8 minutes, until cookies are slightly browned. Cook 2 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack and cool completely.


While the cookies are cool, prepare the glaze. Using a chocolate melter or saucepan on the stove, melt all glaze ingredients together, stirring occasionally. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the glaze. Allow excess chocolate to dip back into glaze. Set cookie on wax paper. Repeat with remaining cookies.


Allow glaze to set completely. This can take 2 to 3 hours on the counter. You can shorten this process considerably if you place the cookies in the refrigerator. Either way, don't serve the cookies until the glaze is fully set.


This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. They will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container. If storing, place wax paper between layers of cookies so the glaze doesn't cause them to stick together.

Easy Side Dishes: Cheesy Stuffed Potatoes

Potatoes always make an excellent side dish. Combine them with cheese, and they're downright delicious. These stuffed potatoes are easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.


You can turn this simple dish into a full meal by adding a side salad.


Ingredients


4 large baking potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, divided
½ cup sour cream
2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried parsley


Preparation


Heat oven to 400°F. Scrub potatoes until they are clean. Pat dry, then pierce skin several times with a fork. Bake for 1 hour, until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. They must be thoroughly cooked for this recipe.


Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool slightly. Reduce the temperature in the oven to 350°F. Using a sharp knife, slice off potato tops. Scoop out the inside of potatoes, keeping shells intact. Place the pulp in a large bowl. Set the shells aside for the moment.


Mash the potato pulp until you have mashed potatoes. Add butter, ¾ cup cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mashed potatoes back into the potato shells, packing it in and allow it to overflow the shells a bit. Use all the filling you have.


Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and dried parsley. Return to oven until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through, about 15 minutes.


This recipe makes 4 potatoes. You can prepare these the day before you need them, if you like. Simply don't bake them for the second time. Place in the fridge overnight until you're ready to bake. You'll need to increase the baking time to about 30 minutes.

Snacks & Appetizers: Taco Chicken Fingers

This is a quick and easy way to serve fried chicken. There's no breading, so nothing to slide off in the fryer. Fry them up, dip them in butter, and roll in the coating. Simply and easy.


For frying the chicken, you can either use a deep fryer or simply pan fry the chicken. As long as the chicken is cooked throughout, it doesn't really matter.


Ingredients


1 package tortilla chips
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
8 tbsp butter, melted


Preparation


Crush the tortilla chips until you have a bunch of fine crumbs. You'll need about 2 cups of crushed chips, so you may not need to use the entire package. Place the crumbs in a large bowl. Add chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and cumin. Combine well and set aside. Place melted butter in a shallow dish and set it aside as well.


Slice the chicken breasts into strips. 4 or 5 strips per chicken breast is sufficient. You can deep fry these in a fryer, cooking them for 8 to 10 minutes at 365°F, or you can pan fry them over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. It doesn't matter, as long as your chicken is cooked thoroughly.


Drain chicken on paper towels. Dip the chicken in the butter you set aside earlier. Immediately roll in the tortilla crumb mixture. Place on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining chicken strips. Serve immediately.


This recipe makes enough chicken to feed 4 people. It doesn't keep well, so don't make extra.

Drop Cookies: Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These cookies are tender and delicious and so chocolaty. Store them in a single layer to prevent crushing.


Ingredients


½ cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking powder


Preparation


Heat oven to 325°F. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg. Blend well, then add flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Combine all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheet. Keep cookies at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.


Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until just set. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire racks.


This recipe makes 18 to 24 cookies, depending on the size.

Yeast Breads: Traditional English Muffins

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to make English muffins, this isn't it. True, traditional English muffins take at least a day to make. They're not difficult, but they do take a little patience. remember to start making them the day before you want to eat them. These delicious English muffins can't be rushed.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
2 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup cornmeal


Preparation


Heat milk over low heat in a small saucepan until it is simmering. Remove from heat and add butter and honey. Stir until honey and butter and melted and everything is well blended. Poor into a glass or plastic bowl. Allow to cool until lukewarm, about 10 to 15 minutes. When mixture is no longer hot, sprinkle yeast on top. Stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes or until bubbly.


When the yeast mixture is frothy, add flour and mix until well combined. Dough will be wet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit on the counter overnight. You want the mixture to rise and fall in upon itself, and this will take at least 8 hours. Don't rush it. Wait until the dough collapses to proceed.


When the dough is ready, stir in salt. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Drop each portion into the cornmeal and turn to coat. Allow these to sit in the cornmeal for 10 minutes.


Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Lower heat is better. Place the English muffins gently into the skillet. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes per side. The English muffins will not sizzle while they cook because of the low heat. That is normal and expected. They must cook slowly or they'll burn while the insides are still uncooked.


When the first side is browned, turn English muffins and cook for a further 10 to 20 minutes. When they are fully cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool.


Split muffins, toast, and top with whatever toppings you desire.


This recipe makes 8 English muffins.

Yeast Breads: Easy English Muffins

There are two types of English muffins in the world: the traditional kind and the easy kind. The traditional kind takes a full day to make. The dough must rise and fall in order to create the little air bubbles that makes an English muffin an English muffin.


But that's a little too fussy for some people, and it takes at least 24 hours to properly accomplished. If you want something that is like an English muffin but takes far less time, try this easier method. It uses baking powder to create the air bubbles. The taste won't be quite the same, as traditional English muffins are slightly sour, but they'll be close.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
1 eg
1 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup cornmeal (optional)


Preparation


These are actual easier to make than you might think. Start by placing all ingredients except cornmeal in a large bowl. Mix until a loose dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover.


Set dough aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough to remove air bubbles. Roll dough out on a floured surface until the dough is about ½-inch thick. It should be of a uniform thickness. Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut 3-inch circles out of the dough. If you don't have a cutter, use a glass. Reroll any dough scraps to cut more English muffins.


Lay the circles of dough in a bed of cornmeal, if desired. Otherwise, place on an ungreased baking sheet or even a cutting board. It doesn't really matter. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.


Heat a skillet over medium-low heat, not any higher. Lower is better in this case. Add the English muffins to the pan. They will not really sizzle when you lay them down because of the low heat. This is okay. They're still cooking, they're just cooking slowly. They will, in fact, take 10 to 20 minutes per side. Check after 10 minutes. English muffins should be a gentle golden brown or a little darker. If they're not browned, they're not cooked.


Flip when the first side is cooked, then cook for another 10 minutes. If browned, remove from pan. If not, continue cooking until both sides are properly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.


Split English muffins, toast, and top with butter, jam, cream, or whatever topping you like.


This recipe makes 8 to 10 English muffins.

Sandwiches & Burgers: Bacon & Cheese Rollups

If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional sandwich, these rollups might work for these. These ones are made with bacon, but you can use ham, turkey, or chicken. Try going to your local deli and seeing what lunch meats are on sale this week. You can also use a different cheese. Try cheddar or gouda for a different flavor.


If you're using a lunch meat, there's no need to cook it first. Bacon, on the other hand, must be cooked before rolling into the dough.


Ingredients


1 package of bacon
1 recipe for basic biscuits
16 slices of Swiss cheese (or more)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp dill
4 tbsp mayonnaise


Preparation


Remove 16 pieces of bacon and cook them on a skillet over medium heat. They should be cooked, but not overly crispy yet. They'll crisp up more in the oven later. They need to still be pliable enough to roll, so don't overcook your bacon. Set aside.


Preheat oven to 450°F. Take the biscuit dough and roll it out into a large circle. Go thin, but not so thin that the dough tears. Try to get your dough to be as close to a perfect circle as possible. When you're happy with it, use a pizza cutter and slice the dough into 16 triangles. Cut like you're cutting a pizza.


Mix together honey, mustard, dill, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Blend well, then spread half of this mayonnaise mixture on the dough triangles. Do this lightly and evenly. Top each triangle with a piece of bacon, then a piece of cheese. You can add more cheese if you like. Then spread the rest of the mayonnaise mixture on the cheese.


Roll up the crescents, starting at the wide end, to enclose the filling. Place these rollups on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until dough is lightly browned. Remove carefully from baking sheet and serve immediately.


These rolls can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to a month. They make great lunches for kids, so try throwing a few into their lunch box.

Biscuits & Scones: Basic Biscuits

Biscuits are traditionally served with many meals, so having a quick and easy recipe on hand is helpful. Make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed if you want your biscuits to rise equally.


Ingredients


2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup milk


Preparation


Heat oven to 450°F. Place all ingredients into a large bowl and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the other ingredients. Butter should resemble coarse crumbs. When it does, take a fork and mix ingredients until you have a dough that is soft and moist. Use your hands if you prefer.


Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and toss and knead it gently until it is no longer sticky. Roll dough out into a rough circle that is ½-inch thick. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. You can use a round cutter, or you can use any shape or size you desire. I like smaller biscuits for larger groups, larger biscuits if it's just me. You can cut them however you like.


Place these biscuits on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until biscuits are lightly browned. Serve warm or allow to cool as you prefer.


This recipe makes 8 to 16 biscuits, depending on how large you make them. They can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Shaped Cookies: Tropical Cookie Tarts

These cookies actually look like mini pies. They're baked in a muffin pan and make excellent party food. Pineapple jam can be a little hard to find, but you can substitute apricot if you need to. They're not really hard to make, but they do require a little patience. If you try to remove them from the muffin pan too soon, they'll far apart. So don't  rush the cooling process.


Ingredients


For the Cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ tsp vanilla


For the Filling
½ cup pineapple jam
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
¾ cup coconut, shredded or flaked


Preparation


Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-muffin pan with a light coat of baking spray to prevent sticking. In a large bowl, combine all cookie ingredients until you have crumbly dough. Finish mixing the dough by hand until you have a smooth ball of dough. Press this dough into the 12 muffin cups, dividing the dough evenly. Press the along the bottom and up the sides of each cup.


In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Gently spoon this mixture into the dough-lined muffin cups, dividing it equally between all 12 cups. Bake the cookie tarts for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crusts are a light golden brown. Cool in pan for at least 20 minutes.


When the cookies are mostly cool, turn the pan upside down over a wire cooling rack. If the cookies don't slide out on their own, tap the bottom of each cup with the handle of a table knife. Tap firmly and the cookies should slide out.


Turn cookies over and allow to cool completely before serving. These cookies can be kept for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container.

Yeast Breads: Cornmeal Breadsticks

These tasty breadsticks have a great texture and flavor. Serve them at your next family dinner or just make them for the kids. They're good for all ages and will go quickly, so make extra.


Ingredients


1¼ tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
2½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 cup water
cornmeal
butter, melted
parsley


Preparation


Place yeast, flour, cornmeal, and sugar in a large bowl. Toss lightly. Add salt, butter, and water. Blend until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a slightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Sprinkle a little cornmeal on a prepared baking tray. Punch down the dough to remove all air bubbles. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope that is about 4 or 5 inches long. Place these ropes onto the prepared baking tray that you sprinkled with cornmeal.


Cover breadsticks with a towel and set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This time, the rise cycle will take 30 to 45 minutes. Check your breadsticks after 30 minutes, but don't rush them. They need to truly rise to be light and fluffy.


Preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover breadsticks and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and brush immediately with melted butter sprinkle with parsley.


Serve immediately or allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Drop Cookies: Brown-Eyed Susans

These peanut butter and chocolate cookies are delicious. The trick to these cookies is to have the chocolate kisses already unwrapped and ready to go. They must be pressed into the hot cookies the very minute they come out of the oven.


Ingredients


½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
sugar in a shallow dish
36-48 milk chocolate kisses


Preparation


Heat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, and both white and brown sugar. Add milk, vanilla, and egg and blend well. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until you have a stiff dough.


Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the sugar you have in the shallow dish. Place cookies on a prepared baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Do not flatten. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are just golden brown.


When you take the cookies out of the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie, pressing down until the cookie cracks around the chocolate. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool completely before serving.


This recipe makes between 2 and 4 dozen cookies, depending on exactly how large you decided to make your cookies. After they are cooled and set, they will keep for up to a week if you store them in an airtight container.

Sandwiches & Burgers: Easy Chicken Sandwiches

If you want a quick and easy chicken sandwich, but you hate prepackaged lunch meat, never fear. You can use a chicken breast or even a chicken breast burger to make a delicious alternative. Serve this as a burger with ketchup and mustard, or take it for lunch just as it is. Either way, you'll be happy with this tasty guy.


If you are going to substitute a chicken burger for the chicken breasts, make sure they are actually chicken breast burgers. Check the ingredient list. They should be only chicken breast. They'll taste better and cook up better on the grill.


Ingredients


4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 tsp garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
4 brioche buns
¼ cup barbeque sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey


Preparation


Preheat your grill. While you're waiting for the grill to heat, combine garlic powder and lemon pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the garlic mixture. Brush the grill with a little oil to prevent sticking. You can also use a nonstick baking spray, if you prefer.


Grill your chicken, turning it frequently to prevent burning. The chicken will take 15 to 20 minutes to cool thoroughly. When cooked through, juices should run clear with you pierce the chicken with a knife. Don't rush the chicken.


While you're waiting for the chicken to cook, combine barbeque sauce, Dijon mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Mix well. Slice the brioche buns and spread a little of the barbeque sauce mixture on the bottom half of each bun. Layer with other toppings, if desired. Try tomatoes, lettuce, Swiss cheese, or anything else you fancy.


When chicken is finished, place on prepared bun. Top with a little more barbeque sauce. Add relish, mustard, or ketchup as desired. Replace top half of the bun and serve immediately. You can also chill the sandwich to serve later.

Yeast Breads: Croissants

Croissants are easier to make than you think, but they do take a while to make. One full day is needed, at the very least. so start early, or make them the day before they're actually needed.


Ingredients


1 cup water
3 cups flour
2 tbsp dry milk
3 tbsp sugar
¾ tsp salt
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp bread machine or quick rise yeast
¾ cup butter, cold and thin sliced
¼ cup butter, melted
warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten


Preparation


Place the first 7 ingredients in a large, nonmetal bowl and mix until you have a loose dough. Turn this loose dough out onto a slightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. Oil the bowl you mixed the dough in so the dough won't stick. Place the dough in the bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm location to rise until doubled in size. This rise cycle will take at least 60 minutes.


Uncover dough and punch it down to remove all the air bubbles. Cover once again and place dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. When the dough is chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll out into a 15x12-inch rectangle. Cover ⅔ of the dough with the sliced butter, starting from a 12-inch side. You should have a 12x10-inch area covered in butter, with one 5-inch strip uncovered. Fold over the unbuttered portion so it's now on top of half of the buttered portion. Fold over again. You should have a piece of dough that now measures 12x5-inches. Seal the ends of this dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.


Remove from the fridge and roll, butter, and fold again. Return to the fridge for 30 minutes. Continue to do this until you've rolled it and folded it 4 separate times. After the fourth time, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to 8 hours. I tend to do this overnight.


When the dough is sufficiently chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it into a large circle. Thinner is better, but not so thin the dough tears. Now you must slice the dough as you would a pizza, into triangles. How many triangles you cut the dough into is up to you. I usually make 12 or 16 smaller croissants, but you can do 8 or even 6 larger croissants, if you like.


Butter the triangles, then stretch them a little to even them out. Roll the triangles up to form croissants, curve a little, and place on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with warm water. Cover and allow to rise for at least 1 hour, until doubled in size.


Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover croissants and brush very lightly with egg. Bake for 20 minutes, until croissants are browned. Serve warm or cold, as desired.


These croissants can be placed in an airtight container for up to 4 days once they've cooled.

Speciality Cakes: S'mores Cake

Do you ever buy all the ingredients for s'mores, fully intending to have a little fire, but then get rained out? It's happened to me so often that I have a backup plan. With just a few extra ingredients, you can turn those graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate into a fun cake that looks and tastes like s'mores. So next time you get rained out, try this tasty little cake.


Before you begin this recipe, smash up your graham crackers so you have a batch of crumbs. You'll use these crumbs to make the crust of the cake.


Ingredients


1 cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup tightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 package marshmallows
4 milk chocolate bars (or equivalent)
½ cup milk chocolate chips


Preparation


Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with baking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.


Cream together butter and sugars until you have a light and fluffy mixture. Add egg and vanilla. Blend well, then add flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt. Stir together until you have a crumbly mixture. Place ¼ of this mixture in a separate bowl. Set aside.


Press the remaining ¾ of the graham cracker mixture into the prepared baking pan. It should be an even layer. Cut marshmallows in half and arrange them on top of the graham cracker layer. Break chocolate bars into pieces and arrange these on top of the marshmallows. Crumble the remaining graham cracker mixture that you set aside earlier and sprinkle it on top of the chocolate. Top with chocolate chips.


Bake for 30 minutes, until graham cracker layer is fully cooked, chocolate is melted, and exposed marshmallows are slightly toasted. Allow to cool completely before cutting.