Candied Pecans

2-3/4 cups pecan halves 2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided 1 cup sugar (I used white granulated) 1/2 cup water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Place pecans in a shallow baking pan in a 250° oven for 10 minutes or until warmed. Grease a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.  Grease the sides of a large heavy saucepan with remaining butter; add sugar, water, salt and cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and cook for 2 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 236° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; add vanilla. Stir in warm pecans until evenly coated. Spread onto prepared baking pan. Bake at 250° for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet to cool.

Recipe found here

Butternut Squash Soup

(K. Robinson)

1/2 onion, chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups chicken broth
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper 
2 eight oz packages of cream cheese (I use 1 package first, then see how creamy it is before adding any of the second - it's really about preference.)

Directions: In large saucepan, saute onions in butter until translucent and tender. Add raw cubed squash, broth, bouillon, basil, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook on med heat after it comes to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Next, puree squash, broth and cream cheese together in a blender. *Personal Method --> It can get messy if you try to do it all at once, so I like to do this a cup or 2 at a time (1 or 2 cups broth, 1-2 cups cubed squash and a quarter to half of the 8 oz cream cheese package). Blend till smooth and then pour into large sauce pan or pot. Repeat process until all the squash, broth and cream cheese have been blended. If you think it needs to be creamier, I ladle more of the soup back into the blender and blend the 2nd package of cream cheese into it. Incorporate with the rest of the pot.

Re-heat soup, but do not allow to boil. Serve with warm rolls. Garnish with parsley (optional)

***Asian Noodle Salad***

Fresh, healthy, and lots of color! 

recipe found here

1 package linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
1/2 head napa cabbage
1/2 head purple cabbage
1/2 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 bag bean sprouts (mung bean sprouts)
3 whole scallions, sliced
3 whole cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 can (about 10 Oz.) whole cashews

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 whole lime, Juiced
8 Tablespoons olive oil
8 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped (I also remove the seeds, for less spice)
cilantro (optional)


Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

Note: dressing keeps for up to three days before serving, without cilantro.

Chocolate Mousse

Many of the fine-quality bittersweet chocolates sold at supermarkets typically contain 50 to 60 percent cocoa solids. If you choose chocolate with a higher percentage, your mousse may be slightly denser

2 cups chilled heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

Garnish: lightly sweetened whipped cream and 1 raspberry per cup/serving

 

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Preparation

Heat 3/4 cup cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot. Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160°F on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

            

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a glass bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power 3 to 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Whisk custard into chocolate until smooth, then cool.

           

Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.

           

Spoon mousse into 8 (6-ounce) stemmed glasses or ramekins and chill, covered, at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.

 

Cooks' notes:• Mousse can be chilled up to 1 day.

Found here
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-mousse-107437#ixzz2e8W2Ee13

White Cheese & Chicken Lasagna

So rich you only have it once a year!

recipe found here

9 whole Lasagna Noodles (not Oven-ready)

½ cups Butter

1 whole Onion, Chopped

1 clove Garlic, Minced

½ cups All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

2 cups Chicken Broth

1-½ cup Milk

4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided

1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, Divided, Plus Additional 1/4 Cup For Topping (optional)

1 teaspoon Each, Dried Basil And Oregano

½ teaspoons Ground Pepper

2 cups Ricotta Cheese

2 cups Cooked, Cubed Chicken

1 package (10 Oz. Size) Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed And Drained

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in flour and salt; simmer until bubbly.

Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with basil, oregano and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, and all of the ricotta and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken and layer with 1/4 of the sauce mixture, the spinach, and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Arrange remaining noodles over cheese and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and additional 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional).
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!

Honey Glazed Grilled Pineapple

recipe found here 

1/4 cup honey

Juice of 2 limes (I actually used lemons)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch thick rings, core removed

3/4 cup vanilla ice cream

In a baking dish, mix together the honey, lime juice, and cinnamon. Place the pineapple slices in the glaze and let marinate 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.

Place the pineapple slices on the preheated grill. Grill on both sides until the glaze caramelizes and grill marks form, about 2 minutes per side.

To serve: Place the pineapple slices on individual plates and top with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle the remaining honey syrup over the top.

Vanilla Milkshake

4 cups quality vanilla ice cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk, less for thicker milkshakes

Directions Using a blender or milkshake machine, blend all ingredients together until smooth. Serve in tall glasses with a straw.

Recipe from Paula Deen