Barbecue Beef Bicuits

My sister introduced me to this recipe.  They sure are good.  They work as a meal paired with a salad, or are great as a party snack food, maybe for the big game?  I really liked these.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Coco-Maca Nut French Toast

My Husband does NOT like French toast.  I LOVE french toast.  So I do not get french toast as often as I would have liked.  When Sam from Oh Nuts!  (LOVE their nuts) sent me some nuts, I knew exactly what I was going to make.  I came across this recipe this summer and have been waiting to try it out, and let me tell you, it was Heaven on a plate.  So good.  Seriously, I could write a book.  I even have a new syrup recipe I want to try with this the next time I make it!

Found here on:  Favorite Family Recipes

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

This are incredible.  They are made with a sugar cookie dough, but are a chocolate chip cookie.  And the mint is just right.  This is a cookie I will now make many times over!  Love it!

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz)  sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract

6 to 8 drops green food color

1 egg

1 cup creme de menthe baking chips (Andes)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (I just used plain old semisweet chocolate chips)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.
2. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature

Heavenly.

Homemade Butterfingers

 This is a recipe that has been going around Pinterest.  And I LOVE Butterfingers.  I was skeptical.  But I thought I would give it a shot.  They ended up turning out pretty well!  Not exactly like a Butterfinger, they are just a little softer, BUT  they have a taste very VERY similar to a Butterfinger, and who woulda' thunk, CANDY CORN!?

Found Here: Plain Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lb. candy corn
16oz jar peanut butter (we always use Peter Pan because it's awesome)
16oz pkg. chocolate candy coating



Directions:
1. Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute. Stir
2. Continue cooking in 15-second intervals til melted, stirring after each interval.
3.  Once melted, stir in peanut butter. (Make sure it is all melted!  And make sure you didn't go to the gym and work out your arms the day you make this.  It is an arm workout)
4. Spread mixture in an 8x8 pan lined with parchment.
5. Cool completely. Cut into squares.
6. Dip in melted chocolate candy coating. Lay on waxed paper to set.

Pull-Apart Pumpkin Cinnamon and Sugar Bread

Incredible.  The pumpkin taste is subtle but still there.  The glaze is so tasty, and the cinnamon and sugar make this a perfect fall treat.  The glaze was originally a rum glaze, but it suggests using vanilla if you'd like.  And I 'like', and since we have no rum, nor will ever have rum in our house, I did vanilla.

Originally found here: Sunny Side up in San Diego

Ingredients:

Bread2 Tbsp Unsalted butter (I used Salted)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt (I cut this in half since I used salted butter)
2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (again, I used salted-have you seen the price of butter lately?  No way I am going to buy unsalted when I use salted more)
 
Glaze
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or salted)
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla

Directions:
1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown but being careful not to allow it burn (turn black).
2. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk, return to stove and heat through.
3. Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F).
4. Once it has reached a warm but not hot temperature add the yeast and 1/4 cup of sugar and allow to proof (this can take up to 8 minutes, the top will look foamy and the liquid cloudy).
5. Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time and knead for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.  Making sure sugar evenly absorbs the butter. Set aside.
8. Next, grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
9. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20x12 inch rectangle.
10. Evenly sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press into dough with palms of the hand. Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan.
11. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
12. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes (mine took 37 exactly) or until top is a very deep golden brown.

13. To prepare the glaze, heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.

Yes, there are quite a few steps, but it is really easy.  The only part that may be a little tricky is making sure you don't burn your butter-just be careful and patient, it can brown quickly, and cooling the milk/butter mixture enough that it doesn't kill your dough (if you don't have a food thermometer, get one!  It is very useful, and once you have it, you'll use it all the time!)

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ok, I love Curry.  Especially Indian Curry.  And you can't really find Indian Curry out in Georgia (near where I live).  When I was pregnant with my most recent baby-and I think my first as well, I really craved A certain type of India Curry that I always got from Bombay House (an Indian Restaurant) when I was living in Utah.  It was sooo yummy, and all we had out here was Thai Curry (which isn't bad, it just isn't the same).  And then a month or 2 ago, I found this recipe, tried it, and LOVED IT!  It is exactly the Curry I would get at Bombay house, tasted the same, and hit the spot.  Love it.  If you love Curry, try this.  It is fantastic!

Found on Favorite Family Recipes (you will see more of them from me, they have some GREAT stuff I want to make!)

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks or strips
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 Tbsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. cayenne (I just used a pinch, my husband doesn't like spice)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 golden potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (I used light)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons sugar
Jasmine rice (cooked)



Directions:
1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil, curry powder, and cayenne in a large skillet over medium-high heat for five minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 10 minutes more or until onions are very clear. (Open your windows, this will be strong!)
3. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
4. Add potatoes, then add coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped cilantro, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine.
5. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens.
6. Serve with Jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro.