Chocolate Dipped Thin Mints

Saturday, February 27, 2010
Thin Mints are a copycat recipe for the delicious popular mint Girl Scout cookies you now can have all year round..


This cookie recipe is really easy to make with simple ingredients and the dough can be made ahead of time and frozen.


Dipping the cookies in chocolate with the crunchy inside cookie gives them that copycat Girl Scout texture and flavor.


These cookies are perfect for the holiday cookie tray when omitting the cocoa powder and adding a hint of green to the dough for a festive look.


If you love thin mints this cookie is calling your name and it's a home run in flavor.


If you are a cookie jar cookie lover, do try my family's Everything Cookies, Chocolate Chip Shortbread recipe, Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe, and Oatmeal Cookies!


Scroll down to this easy recipe and give them a try!





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Ciabatta Rustic Bread

Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Ciabatta bread is a traditional yet classic Italian bread that is well-known for its unique shape, chewy texture, and crisp crust and is great for stews, soups, and sandwiches.

It was first developed in the 1980s when French baguettes in Italy were so popular.

The word "ciabatta" translates to "slipper" in Italian, and the Ciabatta bread got its name due to its striking resemblance to a slipper.

We also love no-knead French bread or pizza dough that I make often, and now it's so super simple even the kids can make it.
This bread can be shaped any way you like, loaves, braided, or perfectly made into rounds for rolls.

Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom to see the simple instructions.




25

Tomato Basil Soup

Friday, February 19, 2010
This classic tomato basil soup is so delicious and creamy that you will be coming back often to make this easy comfort soup.

All the ingredients complement each other using broth, heavy cream, and pureed fresh tomatoes with fresh minced basil.

Everyone who takes that first spoonful gives me that eye-roll of delight, so if you're a fan of tomato basil soup, give this one a try, the flavors are fabulous!

The recipe card at the end has all the measurements with full instructions just hit print to avoid ad interruptions.

homemade tomato basil soup recipe


13

Italian Style Bread Pudding with Kahlua Hot Fudge Sauce

Thursday, February 18, 2010
I seem to always make my bread puddings when its cold outside, and now I have been wishing for this old time favorite of ours. Inspired by my Grandma who used apples all the time and was great, we adapted a recipe using banana's. You will find my Italian Style Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding as a recent post, and more of a dessert bread pudding, this is our Italian Style Banana Bread Pudding with Kahlua Hot Fudge Sauce.

Our favorite is to serve with hot fudge sauce with Kahlua in it, over the top of the bread pudding, then add whipped cream on top.


Place the ready to cook banana bread pudding into a cookie sheet filled with water.

After pouring the egg mixture over the bread and banana's sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

In the hot milk and sugar, pour in the eggs and whisk together.


Break bread up into pieces, add banana's on top.


2 tablespoon butter, cut in small pieces
2 ripe bananas, finely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
7 slices Italian day old bread
2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kahlua (optional)
Hot Fudge Sauce or Caramel Sauce
Whipped Cream
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter, sugar and evaporated milk in the microwave until hot. Stir a few times during the heating process. In a large buttered casserole dish place pieces of torn bread on the bottom then place mashed bananas over the bread,set aside.
Whisk eggs,vanilla together, then carefully stir into the hot mixture .
Pour over the bread and banana's. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, dot with remaining butter . Place on a deep cookie sheet with about 1/4 inch of water in pan, bake for 45 minutes on 350 till brown and set.
Serve with hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce homemade or purchase ice cream toppings then add whipped cream to the top.
Hot Fudge Kahlua Sauce1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 tablespoon of Kahlua ( I like to add a little more your by choice, omit vanilla add another 1 1/2 tablespoons)
Combine condensed milk, chocolate and salt in top of double boiler over rapidly boiling water. Stir and cook until chocolate melts and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in water, a little at a time, until sauce reaches desired consistency. Cool slightly and stir in vanilla add Kahlua. Serve.
Printable Recipe
15

Easy Chicken Scampi with Linguine

Monday, February 15, 2010
One of those really easy dinners, but tasted like it took you all day. The flavors of these spices blended with the white wine keeps this chicken moist and tender.


Linguine cooked al dente and full of delicious flavors from the sauce that cooked in the oven.




Makes a wonderful gravy for the red skinned mashed potatoes.





The mushrooms are buttery and have a garlic flavor as well.



While the Chicken is cooking, start boiling the pasta. Set aside till ready to use, be sure to use some olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.



Place the chicken in the pan and pour all ingredients over the top, bake till the chicken finishes cooking and the sauce thickens.



You'll want to coat the chicken in flour then fry the chicken on both sides till slightly crisp on both sides to seal in the juices, before baking.






4 boneless Chicken Breasts sliced in half
2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup of flour
1 large plastic bag for shaking
1 teaspoon of each garlic powder, Italian seasoning
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup of freshly sliced mushrooms
1 lb of linguine
extra parsley for garnish
salt for the water in the pasta 
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes for garnish


Put flour in a large plastic bag with herbs, and garlic then shake the chicken to coat evenly.

In a large fry pan adds olive oil, and saute chicken till crispy on both sides, around 3 minutes on each side then add garlic for 1 more minute.
Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray, and place chicken and mushrooms in the pan.
Add chicken broth, wine, and butter.
Bake covered for around 45 minutes till broth thickens and chicken is thoroughly cooked.
While baking, boil salted water for linguine to desired doneness. Drain, add 1/4 cup olive oil and grating cheese to the pasta. Set aside.
Place pasta on a large plate, chicken on top, and pour sauce and chicken over the entire pasta and .
17

Godiva Chocolate Amaretto Frappiccino

Monday, February 8, 2010


1 cup of cold strong coffee
1/4 cup ice
1 cup of vanilla ice cream
1/2 shot of Amaretto
1 shot of Godiva chocolate liqueor
Directions
In a blender add ice, coffee, Amaretto, Godiva Chocolate pulse until smooth. Line the bottom of a martini glass with chocolate syrup. Pour mixture over syrup.Garnish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whip cream and top with chocolate candy.
26

Almond Crusted Fish

Thursday, February 4, 2010
This is a delicious almond-crusted white firm fish easy to make any weeknight but elegant to serve when hosting a dinner party.

A deliciously easy way to prepare a mild-tasting firm white fish with this crunchy delicious coating of breadcrumbs and almonds.

This recipe is super easy and quick to prepare plus it's perfect for any seafood lover.

This almond-crusted fish bakes up in around 25 minutes and is topped with extra large shrimp that makes it a gourmet meal.

The coating has a buttery delicious baked crunch and is served topped with fresh herbs and lemon wedges.

For those allergic to seafood, just substitute chicken and omit the shrimp on top.

Scroll through our tips and cooking methods and print off this delicious recipe.




12

Creamy Italian Artichoke Soup

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
I love artichokes. Love them stuffed, in dips, on pasta, pizza's, in salads. I sat there one day looking at them in that can and thought OK, got to do something different this time. It's cold, there's a great deal on them and started experimenting. I thought maybe a cream soup would be filling and these flavors would be close to what I love in the many other ways I like to prepare them. After giving this a try it was much easier than normal soups as I cheated using some premade cans, I know I know, shame on me~ but oh so delicious and quick. If you like artichokes give this one a try. I can't imagine you need anything else but some good crusty Garlicky Italian bread to dip this in, but if you like crackers and lots of salt, add away.










I love how all my favorite flavors are in one bowl~




4 cans artichoke hearts drained and put through the food processor till pureed
1 clove of minced garlic
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 c. half & half
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons romano and parmesan grating cheese
1 stalk of celery chopped fine or through processor
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, black pepper, salt, garlic powder and parsley
1/2 cup Chablis or preferred white wine
2 tablespoons of melted butter or olive oil combined with
1/4 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs mix together well, set aside for topping
1 package shredded mozzarella for garnishing

Drain artichoke hearts and rinse under hot water then puree in food processor add grating cheese. Combine soups,creams and chicken broth; stir over low heat until smooth. Add artichoke hearts, spices, wine . Heat thoroughly, garnish with buttered Italian flavored bread crumbs and mozzarella on top.
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