Tomato Basil Strata

So good!

Ingredients
Filling:
Butter, for greasing the baking dish
1 loaf french bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
diced onion, cooked, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Parmesan and mozz. mixed
Custard:
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1.5 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Filling: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 baking dish. Add the bread cubes and set aside. Sprinkle halved diced tomatoes and chopped basil over the bread cubes.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until soft.  
Custard: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together until smooth. Add onion mixture.  Mix in half the cheese.  Pour the custard evenly over the bread mixture, sprinkle with remaining cheese and chill overnight.  Bake until slightly puffed and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. 

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/tomato-basil-bread-pudding-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Apple Muffins

APPLE MUFFINS
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/02/apple-muffins.html

Apple Muffins

Yield: 18 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar (or use 1 1/2 cups for a less sweet muffin)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 apples)
• Brown sugar for topping (around 1/2 cup)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Cream together sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (I never sift and they turn out fine). Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Add the diced apples.
3. Fill paper liners almost to the top, about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/02/apple-muffins.html#pPTSLGIgtvYR7EEp.99

Thumbprint Cookies

These have become one of the the kids "must make" cookies at Christmas time.  They are pretty yummy.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/jam-thumbprint-cookies-recipe.html

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.  I leave half with no coconut and drizzle with almond icing when just cooled.  The almond icing is a tbsp of milk, about a cup of powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp almond extract.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/jam-thumbprint-cookies-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

From the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Bars:

• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1-3/4 (3 or 4) ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Brown Butter Frosting:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 4 c. powdered sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-5 tbsp. milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  Grease and flour 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.  For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy.  Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute.  Stir in walnuts.

2.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3.  Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling.  Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

Cinnamon Baked French Toast

Perfect for Christmas morning!


Cinnamon Baked French Toast


http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/cinnamon-baked-french-toast/

•  FOR THE FRENCH TOAST:
• 1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
• 8 whole Eggs
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
•  FOR THE TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pinch Nutmeg (optional)
• 1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
•  Fresh Fruit (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.

In a medium sized bowl mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.

When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 F. Remove casserole from the fridge and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.

Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Chocolate Tortoni

I made this for a Christmas staff party that I was hosting.  I bought some of the chocolate dessert cups from Walmart and used a cookie scoop to fill them.  It was delicious!!

CHOCOLATE TORTONI
Source: Taste of Home (but not sure)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup light or dark corn syrup (I used light)
• 2 cups whipping cream (divided)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers (Nabisco chocolate wafers are best)
• 1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2-3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• grated chocolate, chopped notes, whipped cream and maraschino cherries for garnish (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the regular chocolate chips and corn syrup.  Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir.  Microwave additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth.  Add 1/2 cup cream and stir until smooth.  Chill for 25 minutes or until cool.  In the meantime, crush cookie crumbs, lightly toast pecans in oven (350- watch closely!), chop nuts, and whip remaining cream until soft peaks.  Mix nuts and crumbs into the chocolate mix.  Fold in half of the whipped cream to the chocolate.  Fold in remaining cream and mini chocolate chips.  Use a cookie scoop to fill foil liners or chocolate dessert cups.  Freeze 4-6 hours, up to a 2 weeks in advance.  Let stand at room temperature for several minutes before serving.  Garnish as desired.

Pecan Pie Bars

PECAN PIE BARS

The bombdiggity.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 3 sticks butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour

For the topping:

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup corn syrup
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 cups chopped pecans
• 4 TBSP heavy cream
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a jelly roll pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

First make the crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.

Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface.

Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.

Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan.

Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars and serve.