Gouda Cheese Logs

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos from Betty Crocker

Servings: 24 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Ingredients:
1 tub (8 ounces) soft cream cheese
2 cups shredded Gouda or Colby cheese (8 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup sliced drained sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Assorted crackers, if desired

Directions:
Mix cream cheese and Gouda cheese until blended. Stir in chives, tomatoes and garlic powder. Shape mixture into 2 small logs or 1 large ball. Roll in parsley.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours until firm. Serve with crackers.

Holiday Truffles

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos from Taste of Home

Servings: 6 dozen

Ingredients:
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

various sprinkles to coat

Directions:
In a microwave, combine chips and milk. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring after 1 1/2 minutes; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Chill for 3 hours or until firm.
Shape into 1 inch balls; roll in sprinkles, nuts, coconut or cocoa. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Store covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Cookies 'n' Cream Fudge

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos from Taste of Home

Servings: 3 dozen

Ingredients:
16 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, broken into chunks, divided
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 2/3 cups vanilla chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Line an 8 in square baking pan with foil; coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place half of the broken cookies in pan.
In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, butter and chips; cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Pour over cookies in pan. Sprinkle with remaining cookies. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares.

Bavarian Mint Fudge

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos from Taste of Home

Servings: about 2 1/2 pounds

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 package (11 1/2 oz) milk chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil and grease the foil; set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butter over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the milk and extracts until well blended. Spread into the prepared pan. Refrigerate until set.
Using the foil, lift fudge out of the pan. Discard the foil; cut fudge into 1-in squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Copanisti (Cheese Spread)

Submitted by: John Hatzopoulos

Ingredients:
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp pepper Cayenne
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp crushed Greek oregano
1 Tbsp wine vinegar
1/3 cup fine quality olive oil

Directions:
In a food processor combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. Process the mixture until smooth. Remove the pusher from the feed tube and add the olive oil in a fine stream while the motor is running. When all the oil is added and copanisti is thick and smooth, turn off the motor. Transfer the copanisti to a covered container and chill until ready to use. Spread the copanisti on fresh crusty bread or toasted pita bread.

Smoke House Short Ribs

Submitted by: Suz from Semi-homemade with Sandra Lee

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 8 short ribs
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 large onion, thickly sliced
* 1 (12-ounce) bag baby carrots
* 1 cup celery, thickly sliced, about 2 stalks
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
* 2 teaspoons smoked ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning salt
* 1 cup red wine
* 1 (10.5-ounce) can beef stock

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat.

Season short ribs with, salt and pepper. Sear the short ribs on all side until brown and caramelized.

In the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker place the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Then add smoked paprika, smoked ground black pepper, and all-purpose seasoning salt. Pour in wine and beef stock. Place short ribs, meat side up, on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 hours.

Strain and defat the cooking liquid. Serve as sauce on the side.

Sawmill Gravy

Submitted by: Jeff Burda from Alton Brown's Good Eats

Servings: 2 1/2 cups gravy

Ingredients
* 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
* 1/4 cup flour
* 2 cups milk
* Salt and pepper

Directions
Cook sausage in a cast iron skillet. When done, remove sausage from pan and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Whisk flour into the fat and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk a little at a time. Return to medium-high heat and stir occasionally while the gravy comes to a simmer and thickens. (Be sure to scrape up any brown bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan, that's where the flavor is.) Check seasoning, add crumbled sausage and serve over toast or biscuits.

Panko-Crusted Chicken Bites with Apricot-Mustard Sauce

Submitted by: Elizabeth Lowell from the Martha Stewart show

Ingredients:
Chicken
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes

Sauce
1 cup apricot jam or preserves (I used apricot jam w/habenero for a kick)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit with a wire rack. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Place flour in a large bowl and season very generously with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs in another large bowl with 2 tablespoons water until well combined. Place the breadcrumbs in a third large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Stir in cheese and cayenne and mix well.
3. Place chicken pieces in the seasoned flour and toss to coat. Working in 3 batches, shake off any excess flour from chicken pieces and transfer to egg mixture; stir to combine. Transfer coated chicken pieces with a slotted spoon to the breadcrumb mixture and toss until completely coated. Place the breaded chicken pieces on a rack-lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Repeat process until all the chicken is breaded. Bake until golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir the apricot jam, mustard, and thyme together until combined. Allow chicken to cool 10 minutes before serving with apricot mustard mixture.

French Onion Soup

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos from Semi-Homemade

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
5 cups sliced onions
2 cans (14 oz each) low-sodium beef broth
2 cans (10 oz each) beef consomme
1 packet (.9 oz) onion soup mix
8 slices French bread
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Directions:
1. Combine onions, broth, consomme, and soup mix in a 3-1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting for 4 hours or low heat setting for 8 hours.

2. Ladle soup into 8 soup bowls arranged on a baking sheet. Top each with a slice of French bread. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cheese over each bread slice. Put soup bowls under a broiler until cheese is melted.

Heaven and Hell Cake

Submitted by: Yianni :)
Dallas chef Stephan Pyles's rich, multilayered dessert of angel food and devil's food cake, peanut butter mousse, and milk chocolate ganache should be frozen before icing is added and refrigerated before it's sliced.

Photo: Andre Baranowski

SERVES 10 – 12

Ingredients:

FOR THE GANACHE:
2 lbs. milk chocolate, such as Valrhona, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

FOR THE ANGEL FOOD CAKE:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

FOR THE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE:
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour cream over the chocolate and let sit to melt for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine the chocolate and cream. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to let rest for 4 hours.

2. Make the angel food cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 10" round cake pan with ungreased parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and flour; set flour mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a handheld mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium, sprinkle in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle half of the confectioners' sugar–flour mixture over egg whites; using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 45–50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack and let cool.

3. Make the devil's food cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 10" round cake pan with shortening and dust with flour to coat; shake out excess flour and set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; set flour mixture aside. In another medium bowl, whisk the coffee and cocoa powder until smooth; set coffee mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture to the bowl in 3 stages, beating to combine after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 30–35 minutes; transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

4. Make the peanut butter mousse: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put cream into a large bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture; set mousse aside in the refrigerator.

5. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated-blade knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil's food cake on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over the top with a butter knife. Top mousse with a layer of the angel food cake and spread
with half of the remaining mousse. Repeat with the remaining devil's food cake, mousse, and angel food cake. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Stir ganache until smooth and spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake with a butter knife. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before slicing.

Killer Shrimp Soup

Submitted by: from the restaurant Killer Shrimp

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
2 quarts chicken broth
2 tablespoons rosemary
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 cup clam juice
1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup butter
1 cup white wine
2 pounds shrimp, with tails
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread

Directions:
Pour broth into a large pot, and mix in rosemary, garlic, pepper, celery seed, fennel seed, clam juice, tomato paste, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir wine into the soup, and continue to simmer and occasionally stir 2 hours.
Just before serving, stir in shrimp. Continue cooking 3 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque. Serve with bread for soaking up all the yummy broth.

Homemade Killer Shrimp

Submitted by: Joan Burda

Ingredients:
1 can of chicken soup broth
1 package of a spicy marinade mix
shrimp
Loaf of French bread

Directions:
Simmer together soup and marinade mix for half an hour or so to blend tastes. Add water if it is too spicy.
A few minutes before you are ready to serve add the shrimp.
Serve with french bread.

Mousaka

Submitted by: Sophia Garrow

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
3-4 medium potatoes cut 1 cm. thickness
2 cloves garlic pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1tbs. oregano
1 tbs. parsley
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
Dash pepper
1 tsp. salt

Sauce:
2 cups milk
1 cup butter
1 egg
flour for thickening
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Part 1

Slice potatoes about 1 cm thick and lay on the bottom of your baking pan about 11x9 or so. Now the original way I learned how to do this you are supposed to brown the potatoes in oil and then add it to the dish—but I have altered it with just eliminating this step which to me is just extra time and fat, I didn’t notice a difference other than that.

Part 2

Put olive oil in pan and add the garlic, onion, oregano, and parsley until browned. Add the ground beef and brown. Once browned add 1 can of tomato sauce, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add this mixture on the potatoes (layered). ( Just to let you know if you try the meat mixture it will have a salty flavor, but this is ok because the potatoes aren’t seasoned, and the sauce that goes on top does not have much either) .

Part 3

In a saucepan add the milk and butter medium/low heat, once butter is melted gradually add flour to the mixture and mix with a mixer on low until you get a consistency of mashed potatoes. Beat the egg in the mixture. (this gives a nice brown coating on top when cooked) Spoon this mixture over the meat and frost it evenly over the whole thing. Sprinkle salt on the top and put it into the over at 350 for about 45 minutes or until you see it is brown.

I recommend it sit for about 10 minutes before serving then it won’t fall apart when you cut into it.

Lemon Cheesecake

Submitted by: Elizabeth Lowell

Servings: 28-32

Ingredients:
CRUST
12 graham crackers, crushed (about 2 cups to cover bottom of baking dish)
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 stick melted butter

FILLING
1 small package lemon jello
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 can evaporated milk

Directions:
For CRUST:
Mix together and smooth on bottom of 9x13 baking dish
Bake at 350 until brown, around 10 minutes

For FILLING:
Mix package of lemon jello with 1 cup boiling water. Let cool.
Mix cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice. Pour cooled jello into cream cheese mixture. Pour can of evaporated milk into mixing bowl and freeze until cold. Whip until soft peaks form. Fold jello mixture into milk until thoroughly mixed and put mixture into pie crust. Refrigerate until cool. Eat and enjoy!

Cucumber Dip

Submitted by: Ann Hatzopoulos

Servings: 64

Ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
crackers or bread

Directions:
Peel cucumbers and cut lengthwise into quarters. Remove seeds. Chop cucumbers very finely.
Place chopped cucumbers in a large kitchen towel and wring to remove all the liquid.
Combine cream cheese, cucumbers, green onions, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well.

Serve with crackers or bread slices.

Orange Cheesecake

Submitted by: Elizabeth Lowell

Servings: 28-32

Ingredients:
CRUST
12 graham crackers, crushed (about 2 cups to cover bottom of baking dish)
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 stick melted butter

FILLING
1 small package orange jello
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons orange juice

Directions:
For CRUST:
Mix together and smooth on bottom of 9x13 baking dish
Bake at 350 until brown, around 10 minutes

For FILLING:
Mix package of orange jello with 1 cup boiling water. Let cool.
Mix cream cheese, sugar and orange juice. Pour cooled jello into cream cheese mixture and put mixture into pie crust. Refrigerate until cool.

(original recipe called for lemon jello and lemon juice but all we had on hand was orange)