ColleenCuisine.com

Courtesy of Michael Symon (The Chew)

1 1/2 pound Fresh Sweet Potatoes

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Flour

1 Red Onion (chopped)

2 cloves Garlic (minced)

2 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary (chopped)

1/2 cup Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

1 1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 cup Gruyere (grated)

3/4 pound Ham (cooked and cubed)

4 Scallions (sliced – both green and white parts)

Wash sweet potatoes. Cook sweet potatoes, covered, in small amount of boiling salt water until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool. Peel and slice 1/4 inch thick; set aside.

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and cook until tender. Add herbs. Remove from heat and stir in flour. Cook over low heat until bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in milk all at once. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese and the ham.

Arrange half of sweet potatoes on bottom of greased 2 quart casserole dish. Top with layer of ham and cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Bake at 350*F, 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until cheese has melted. Top with scallions and serve.

(Allrecipes.com)

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (optional)
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8×8 square baking dish.
Combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, sugar, and instant coffee in a blender; blend until smooth; pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 126 | Total Fat: 5.3g | Cholesterol: 40mg

Paula Deen’s The Lady’s Cheesy Mac

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
2 cups grated Cheddar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the Cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese, if desired.

Borrowed from Rachael Ray

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
* 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
* 1 cup frozen corn kernels
* Salt
* 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
* 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
* 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil – twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Arrabbiata Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Bake: 12 min. per batch

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/3 cups sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
* 1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries

Directions

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in white chocolate morsels and cranberries.

Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Craisins for sweetened dried cranberries.

Grandma Lucy’s shortbread cutouts…a holiday favorite!

1 cup softened butter (real)
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cup. flour, plus more to dust counter with
cookie cutters of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar together, add egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Cover bowl with airtight covering and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Lightly dust counter top with flour so dough doesn’t stick to it. Take out after dough is cold and using 1/3 of it at a time (keeping the remainder in the frig) using a rolling pin, roll out until about 1/4″ thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut your cookie shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not over cook and don’t let them get too golden brown. They will almost look not done, puffier and appear like a short bread cookie. Cool cookies, eat unfrosted or you can frost with recipe below.

Frosting:
1/2 stick Real butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Approx. 3 to 4 cups confectioners sugar
1 or 2 tbsp water

With electric mixer blend butter, sugar and vanilla together. Add water if needed to make it blend better. Blend well. Make different colors of frosting if desired and spread on cookies.

Excellent milk chocolate cookies from my friend Tammie Flood.

1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2/3 c softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pkg chocolate chips or as much as you desire (can use semi-sweet if you prefer)
1/2 c nuts (optional) pecans, walnuts or your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix wet ingredients together, add dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips and mix. Using a tablespoon put on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Scott’s favorite!

Preheat oven to 350, grease cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups oatmeal (1 minute quick type works best)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 to 1 bag of butter scotch chips (can also use milk or semi-sweet chips if you like chocolate instead)

Directions:

Combine shortening, sugars, water, egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, salt, soda and mix. Add oatmeal one cup at a time stirring between each cup. Add chips and mix. Spoon cookie dough onto cookie sheet in approx. 1/8 cup size portions. You can make them bigger but they will need to cook several minutes longer than the smaller size. Cookies are done when they are lightly browned on the top but do not over cook them as they will get dried out. Take cookie sheet out of oven and let sit on stove top for about a minute to let cookies set up (they tend to pull apart when you try to move them too quickly). Use a spatula to move onto waxed paper on your counter and let them cool. Store in tupperware or ziplock bags. Will keep around 2 or 3 weeks.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 c. flour
1c. old-fashioned cooking oats
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 – 1 c. milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat butter, sugars and peanut butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until well blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bak 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to wire racks or waxed paper covered surface. Cool completely.