Chef's Table Tuscan Tomato Soup (compare to Zupas)

Ingredients:
3 T Olive Oil
2 Large onions; Small Dice
5 C diced and seeded tomatoes
2 C Chicken Stock
1 1/2 C Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C Basil Pesto
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium-large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer. add chicken stock. bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors. Add whipping cream. add pesto. Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender. adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Mac'n'cheese to the extreme

Ingredients:
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups hot whole milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Macaroni:
1 pound dry pasta (recommended: elbow macaroni, shells, penne, etc.)
1 teaspoon dry mustard, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup, plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 slices bacon, cooked, reserve 1/4 cup rendered bacon fat

Bechemal Directions:
1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or an oven-safe skillet.

2. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, avoid browning, about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring the sauce to a boil.

3. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

Macaroni Directions:
1. Make the bechamel sauce, in a large 12-inch oven-safe skillet.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until nearing al dente, but not fully cooked; drain. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

3. Over low heat, stir the dry mustard and cayenne pepper into the bechamel sauce. Gradually add the Cheddar, Gruyere, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until all of the cheese has melted into the bechamel sauce. Add an additional cup of milk and cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.

4. In another large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy and golden brown. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet, reserving 3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat.

5. Add the cooked pasta to the bechamel and stir to coat evenly with the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and reserved bacon fat. Coat the bread crumbs and chopped parsley with bacon fat and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with crumbled cooked bacon. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Mike Taylors' CornBread

Ingredients:

1/2 C Butter
2/3 C White Sugar
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 C cornmeal
1 C flour
1/2 Tsp Salt


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. grease an 8 inch square pan.

2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine Buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and a few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30-40 min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

BlackBerry Cobbler

Ingredients:
1-2 pkg frozen blackberries
1 cup boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
1 pkg white/yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
put blackberries on bottom of pan
melt sugar in water, pour over berries
put cake mix on top of suger mixture.
Melt butter and pour over cake mix.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

Myca Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
mix
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
mix
2 1/2 cup flour

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

Snickerdoodle Bars

Snicker Doodle Bars

3 cubes butter ¾ tsp salt
6 eggs ¾ tsp cream of tarter
3 cups sugar 3 tsp almond extract
3 cups flour Cinnamon sugar for topping


Cream together butter, eggs and sugar. Add flour, salt, cream of tarter and almond extract. Mix until well blended. Pour into a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pudding Chip Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (I used chocolate)
2 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 pkg chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Mix in instant pudding powder. Add flour and baking soda and mix well. Add in chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

William Sonoma Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients:
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 lb. ground pork
2 lb. ground beef (or ground chuck)
1/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more
for garnish
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/3 lb. mozzarella or provolone cheese, cut into
1/2-inch cubes
Olive oil for frying
About 6 cups tomato sauce (see related recipe
at left)
2 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the milk and bread crumbs. Add the ground pork, veal, beef, the 1/3 cup parsley, the eggs, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix briefly with your hands. Form the mixture into 2-inch balls. Press a mozzarella cheese cube into the center of each ball, sealing it inside.

In a large electric skillet set on medium-high heat, heat 1/2 inch of oil until almost smoking. Add the meatballs and cook until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray.

Discard the oil in the pan. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more.

Put the pasta in a warmed large, shallow bowl. Top with the sauce and meatballs and garnish with parsley.Serves 10 to 12.

Mycas Caramel-Treat

1 C butter
1 C Karo Syrup
1 Can Evaporated Milk
4 C heavy Whipping Cream
4 C Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tsp Salt

Mix everything (except Vanilla) over med heat until reaches soft ball stage.
Then Add vanilla

Appetizer- Becky's Bean Dip

2 large cans refried beans
1 large jar Pace picante sauce (I use mild)
Medium sour cream
2 8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg cheddar cheese
1 pkg Monterey jack cheese

Throw in the crockpot
Heat it up and eat!