I found this on my sisters cafe and it was WAY easy and WAY good.  I will never buy a store made baguette again :)

 

Baguette

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbs. (2 packages) dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt

In a small bowl mix the warm water with the yeast and sugar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes – foam should form on the top.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt. Gradually add the yeast mixture. Mix until the dough becomes a smooth ball and knead for 5 minutes. (I use my Kitchen Aid with the dough hook)

Cut in half and then shape into 2 baguettes. To make them smooth and pretty, roll each half of dough into rectangle and roll up lengthwise. Pinch the edges to seal and place on lightly greased cookie sheet  with seam down. Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a very sharp knife (I like to use a serrated blade) gently make a slash down the length of each baguette. This will give it that authentic look. Pour water in a cookie sheet and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Half way through, brush the bread with melted butter.

Crispy Shrimp Pasta

I found this YUMMY recipe over at http://www.kevinandamanda.com/  We liked it alot.  I loved that it was an Alfredo sauce that didn't have a pound of cream cheese and butter in it :)  Same yummy flavor just lighter and not as bad for you.  Chad and I ate it with the shrimp and the kids ate it without.. it was good both ways!  ENJOY!!!!

via kevin and amanda blog

Crispy Shrimp Pasta

4 oz fettuccine pasta
3/4 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
Cook pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle shrimp with salt, pepper, and toss to combine. Sprinkle 1 tbsp flour over the shrimp, and toss to coat the shrimp. Sprinkle 1 more tbsp flour and toss to evenly coat the shrimp. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook on each side, flipping once, until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to plate. Pour in the chicken broth. Cook for about 5 minutes, whisking the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium and pour in cream, whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium heat until bubbly and the cream starts to thicken the mixture, about 5 minutes. Taste the sauce and add seasonings as desired (salt, pepper, cajun seasonings, etc.) Add the drained pasta and shrimp to the sauce, and stir to combine.
*If you have trouble getting the sauce to thicken, thoroughly mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 4 tbsp cold water and add to the sauce. Sauce will thicken immediately.

Baked Potato Soup

This is THE BEST potato soup ever!  It takes a little bit of work, but it is completely worth it, especially with yummy yummy rolls!  I found it on my favorite site ever, Our best bites!

Baked Potato Soup

3 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C  sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
*don’t have time to bake potatoes in the oven?  Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave.  Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them.  It usually takes 5-10 minutes.  To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack.  Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.


Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.   Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (Now, if you get to this point and don’t have a smooth liquid.  Stop!  Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.)  Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Crispy southwest Chicken Wraps

I found this on My kitchen cafe    and they are way yummy :)

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

*Makes 6 wraps*

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, rinsed and drianed

1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)

Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center - it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

My mom used to make these around Thanksgiving for the widows in our ward when I was little. I  haven't had them in years, but got a major craving for them the other day.  YUM! Found recipe at www.allrecipes.com by Mordavia.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chopped cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
•  
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

Lasagna Soup

Recipe take from http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com and is super DELICIOUS!

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8

Source:  adapted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds, as seen in the February-April 2011 edition of At Home with Kowalski’s magazine

carmel apple cookies

This turned out very yummy, I didn't use the almonds though.

Caramel Apple Cookies
Makes 36 two inch cookies | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cookie base adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

•1 ¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
•½ teaspoon baking soda
•14 tablespoon unsalted butter
•½ cup granulated sugar
•½ cup packed dark brown sugar
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 large egg
•1 large egg yolk
•1 cup diced apples, 4oz.
•¾ cup chopped salted roasted almonds
•½ cup toffee bits
INSTRUCTIONS:

1.Whisk flour and baking soda.
2.Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat until melted about 2 minutes. Continue stirring for another 1-3 minutes until brown and there is a nutty aroma. Remove from heat. Pour heated butter through a sieve into a heat proof bowl. Stir in remaining butter until completely melted.
3.Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully combined. Add egg and egg yolk, whisk until mixture is smooth and no sugar lumps remains, about 30 seconds.
4.Let mixture stand for 3 minutes then whisk for another 30 seconds.
5.Repeat step four 2 more times until mixture is thick and shiny.
6.Stir in flour until combined. Stir in apples, roasted almonds and toffee bits combined.
7.Use an ice cream scoop to form cookies. Place dough 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
8.Bake cookies one tray at a time, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are golden brown and still puffy. Approximately 10-14 minutes.

Peach pie

Photo via taste of homes website

This peach pie was so yummy!  It was like pie and cobbler combined, definitely did not disappoint!

Ingredients

    1 egg white, lightly beaten

    1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)

    3/4 cup all-purpose flour

    1/2 cup packed brown sugar

    1/3 cup sugar

    1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

    6 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches

Directions

    Unroll pastry into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edges. Brush egg white over the bottom and sides of the pastry.

    In a small bowl, combine flour and sugars; cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle two-thirds into pastry; top with peaches. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

    Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and peaches are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings.

BBQ Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

Image via Jane Deere

I found these on http://janedeereblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/bbq-grilled-shrimp-tostadas.html

 So incredibly yummy!  As mentioned before I do not eat seafood, but lately I am liking shrimp.  I loved these.  But if you hate seafood I really think the seasoning would be great on chicken and then substituting the shrimp for chicken on the tostada's would be so yummy!

BBQ Grilled Shrimp Tostadas

3 cups shredded cole slaw

1 lime

2 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced

½ cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced & mashed

12 tostada shells

1 cup crumbled Queso Fresco

3 tomatoes

4 avocados

3 limes, cut into wedges

Prepare shrimp and grill according to recipe (see below).  Toast tostada shells in oven according to package directions. 

Cut avocados in half, remove seeds and scoop out pulp.  In a small bowl, coarsely mash avocados and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In another medium bowl, combine slaw, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, mayonnaise, garlic and juice of 1 lime.  Set aside.

Chop tomato and set aside.

When ready to serve, each person can build their tostada as they wish.  Serve with lime wedges.    Calories:  445 ▪ Fat: 23g ▪  Carbs: 30g ▪ Dietary Fiber: 6g ▪ Protein: 30g

Bbque Shrimp

3 pounds (21 to 24 count) large shrimp, peeled & deveined, tail on

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons Lawry’s Season Salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cloves coarsely chopped fresh garlic

Whisk together the chipotle chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, season salt and pepper in a small bowl. 

Place the shrimp in a large bowl, toss with olive oil and garlic.  Add the spice rub and stir well to coat; set aside.

Heat grill to high. 

Skewer shrimp with 2 skewers to prevent difficulty in turning shrimp.

Place on a grill to cook until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

HOME GROWN TOMATO SOUP

Sprinkle this soup with some Orzo before you serve it and it tastes a lot like Zuppa's Tomato Basil soup. In the fall when we have an abundance of tomatoes I make a huge pot of this without the cream and then I bottle it. (if you bottle it make sure to add a few tbls. of vinegar) Then I just pull out a quart from our storage dump it in the pot, add the milk and dinner is served. My kids LOVE this soup.

Home Grown Tomato Soup

-8 large tomatoes blanched and chopped

-2 TBLS butter

-1 medium onion

-2 cloves garlic

Saute onion and garlic in butter then add tomatoes and enough water to cover them.

Add:

1 TBLS paprika

1 TSP dry mustard (I just use regular mustard)

2 TBLS bouillon

2 TBLS parsley

1 TBLS basil

Bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Blend in blender and return to pan.

Add: 2 cups heavy cream or 1 cup canned milk and one cup regular milk with. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg before serving. (If using milk instead of cream, add 3 TBLS flour to the milk and whisk it together before adding it to the soup)

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

I found the recipe on Stylish Cuisine They were YUMMY!  Very close to reese's peanut butter cups, very rich though!  You'll want to eat lots, but one will do it for a while :)  But oh so good! (not so good for you though).  P.S. She has some fabulous pictures of them, if you want to see them.  I didn't get a picture before they were all gone!

Peanut Butter Cup Bars


1/2 cup butter
1 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
(Line a 8×8, 9×9, or 7×11 pan with foil for easy removal of bars later.)
Melt 1/2 c. butter of low heat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioner’s sugar. Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stirring until creamy. Spread mixture into pan, patting down evenly.
In same pot, on low heat, melt butter. Add chocolate chips and stir until chips are nearly melted and very soft. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is smooth and shiny. Spread over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.
Store peanut butter cup bars in refrigerator.
Yield:  16 or more bars (depending upon how big you cut them)

Quinoa Taco Salad

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a grain that cooks similar to rice. This recipe had some yummy flavor.

1 cup quinoa
1 whole red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cups red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cups yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cups green bell pepper, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder, or more depending on heat preference
1 dash cayenne pepper
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or canned
2 whole limes, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces, weight baby spinach
1 cup cilantro
1/3 cups cheddar or feta cheese
1 whole avocado, diced

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Meanwhile, swirl a bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, and peppers and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir in the quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.

Roughly cut baby spinach in strips like you would shred iceberg lettuce for tacos. Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves from the bunch, rinse and pat dry, and toss with t he spinach. Divide spinach and cilantro mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each plate with a scoop of the quinoa salad. Top each salad with your choice of cheese and diced avocado. Cut the remaining lime into slices to garnish the plates.

This was really yummy and easy to adjust to your flavor preferences. I put in a lot less garlic and only used two types of peppers. You can make it your own. Enjoy!

Key lime Cupcakes with Blackberry frosting

THE MOST VERY BEST AND YUMMIEST CUPCAKES YOU'LL EVER MAKE!  Seriously though. these are amazing!

 Found on http://www.bakedperfection.com/

Key Lime Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting

makes 30 cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons key lime juice
zest of two limes
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or paper-line 30 baking cups.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla, key lime juice and lime zest; mix well. Add the flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely and frost as desired.

Blackberry Filling
recipe from Baked Perfection

1 32oz container frozen blackberries
3 tablespoons sugar
Juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt

Place blackberries in a small bowl and sprinkle with sugar, let thaw. Drain blackberries, reserving liquid. Squish the blackberries and push through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, set aside. Add enough water to the blackberry liquid to equal 1 cup. In a large saucepan, combine the blackberry liquid, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt. Heat and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir blackberries into the cooled mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be made several days in advance and any leftovers works well on toast, on pancakes, or mixed in plain Greek Yogurt.)

Blackberry Buttercream
recipe from Baked Perfection

2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup blackberry filling (seedless blackberry jam or preserves can be substituted)
pinch of salt
6 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

Beat butter and vanilla until creamy. Mix in blackberry filling and salt. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until combined. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Found on Our Best bites.... SO GOOD!!!!

Brazilian Lemonade

4 juicy limes
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap, (you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime) Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and blend well. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk.  Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance.

Coconut Chicken

These were VERY good... and here is the kicker, I don't like coconut, but I loved these.  Not overwhelmingly coconutty!  I tried to find where I found this recipe and I can't find it anywhere, so whoever you are THANKS for sharing your recipe!

Coconut Chicken

2 lbs.       boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 large    eggs

1/4 cup  coconut milk (optional)

1/2 cup  all purpose flour

1 cup      panko bread crumbs

1 cup      shredded coconut

1/2 tsp    salt

1/2 cup  vegetable oil, divided

1 cup      sweet chili sauce

TOTAL 

Cut off any extra fat globules from your chicken breasts. Cut each breast into 6 strips, diagonally to prevent the end strips from being really short.

Prepare your breading station by gathering three bowls. In the first bowl combine the flour and salt. In the second bowl, combine the eggs and coconut milk. Whisk together until well combined. In the third bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and shredded coconut.

Place 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large heavy duty skillet and heat over medium/high heat until it is just below smoking. You can test the heat by throwing in a little bit of flour. When it is hot enough, the flour will sizzle and create a lot of bubbles.

While the oil is heating, dredge the chicken strips. First, coat each strip in the flour and salt mixture. Then dip each into the eggs/coconut milk and finally coat each in panko and shredded coconut. I find it easiest to coat all of them in the flour then go back and then do the egg wash and panko/coconut for each before moving onto the next.

After breading the strips, the oil should be hot enough. Place about 6 strips in the pan at once. There should only be one layer in the pan and there should be about an inch between each strip. If you over crowd the pan it will get too cold and the strips will soak up a lot of oil instead of frying. Fry the strips for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Place them on a plate with paper towel to drain and move on to the next batch. After a couple of batches you may need more oil so you can add the second 1/4 cup to the pan. Allow the oil to come up to temperature before frying the next batch (2-3 minutes). Because the strips are thin, they should be cooked through by the time both sides are browned. You can tell by the texture of the chicken; it should be stiff when pressed. If you cut your strips thicker, you will need to bake off the chicken after frying to make sure the insides are cooked through.

When all of the strips are done frying, serve immediately with sweet chili sauce to dip in.  I found mine in the asian section at the grocery store (ours was Panda express kind)

Orange Yougurt Pancakes

LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE :)

Orange Yogurt Pancakes

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. orange juice
orange gratings (optional)
3/4 c. plain yogurt
1 egg
6 Tbsp. butter, melted, divided

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together juice, gratings, yogurt, egg, and 4 Tbsp. of the melted butter. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined (batter will be quite thick).

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium high heat until quite hot. Brush pan with some of the remaining melted butter and spread batter with a spoon onto pan in 3-inch pancakes. When pancakes bubble and are browned, flip and continue cooking until cooked through and browned on the second side. Brush pan with melted butter before each batch. Serve warm with maple syrup.