Nutella Baklava

Baklava is one of my favorite pastries. I love the sweet honey mixture that's soaked up by the layers of dough, and the nutty mixture throughout. I immediately wanted to try this recipe when I saw it. Nutella is irresistible to me, and I knew it was going to be perfect inside these thin layers of phyllo dough. This recipe is from Cooking Light, but I don't think I'd consider it "light" ... maybe "light-er."



The baklava came together pretty easily. It's a little time consuming, but it's worth every minute. Make sure you have a very sharp knife when it comes time to cutting into squares (or diamonds, or triangles).

Nutella Baklava

Ingredients:
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)
1 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
24 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter; melted (or more)

Directions:
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat; stir until honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 230-degrees (about 10 minutes).

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Place hazelnut-chocolate spread in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted. Combine hazelnuts and the next 4 ingredients (through salt). Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time (cover remaining dough with a damp paper towel to prevent drying), place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in bottom of prepared pan, allowing ends of sheet to extend over edges of dish; lightly brush with butter. Repeat procedure with 5 phyllo sheets and butter. Drizzle about 1/3 cup melted hazelnut-chocolate spread over phyllo. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of nut mixture (about 1/2 cup). Repeat procedure twice with phyllo, butter, hazelnut-chocolate spread, and nut mixture. Top last layer of nut mixture with remaining 6 sheets phyllo, each lightly brushed with butter. Press gently into pan.

Make 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 crosswise cuts to form 24 portions using a sharp knife. Bake at 350-degrees for 35 minutes or until phyllo is golden. Remove from oven. Drizzle honey mixture over baklava. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cover; store at room temperature.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light

S'more Cups

My sweet friend, Sherylin made these s'more cups at a Christmas party several weeks ago. Not only were they the cutest little things.... they were irresistible, as well. I had to copy down the recipe so I could create some for myself. S'more cups are perfect for a party food because they aren't messy, and each one is perfectly sized to be gone in one bite.
Make them next chance you get.... you will be happy!

S'more Cups

Ingredients:
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers (about 7 whole crackers)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Hershey bars (24-rectangles)
12 large marshmallows or about 72 mini marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan or spray with PAM.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl.



Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 Tbsp), place a scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of mini-muffin pan.

Press crumbs to form shallow cups. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break the candy bars into rectangles.

Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.

If using the large marshmallows, cut them in half crosswise using kitchen shears dipped in cold water (to prevent sticking). Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. If using mini marshmallows, place about 3 in each cup.

Return to the oven, and broil for 2-3 minutes to give the marshmallows a "toasted" flavor and appearance.

Remove pan from the oven and place on a cookie rack to cool. Cool for 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from the pan. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutritional info (for one S'more cup): 100 calories; 6g fat; 10mg cholesterol; 11g carbs; 1g protein; 60mg sodium

Source: Adapted from Pampered Chef

Chocolate Brownie Biscotti

Biscotti is a great gift to give with a bag of coffee grounds or hot cocoa mix. I made this biscotti for several gifts this Christmas as well as stocking stuffers for my parents. Everyone told me how much they enjoyed these with their coffee, and my dad even said that I should sell these since they taste better than the biscotti at the local coffee shops. You could dip these or drizzle with melted chocolate or leave them plain like I did. I'm sure you could also leave the nuts out if you prefer.

Chocolate Brownie Biscotti

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate bar, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, pecans, salt and chocolate bits. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the instant coffee in hot water. Add vanilla extract, then whisk in the eggs until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon until you have a loose, somewhat crumbly dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky, about 8-10 times. Shape into a 16-inch-long roll. Transfer the roll onto the prepared baking sheet, and flatten into a 1-inch thick slab.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top of the slab feels firm and dry. Remove from the oven, but do not turn off the heat. Set the slab on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Once the slab is cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut sides down, and return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and continue baking for another 10 minutes (the cookies should be just a bit soft in the center - don't worry, they'll harden up once they cool). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Isabelle

Rocky Road Fudge

I love the combination of peanuts and chocolate. The fluffy marshmallows make this an even better treat. This recipe doesn't require a candy thermometer, so this is the perfect recipe for you to make if you don't own one. I made this fudge to give away for some Christmas gifts, and I was surprised at how quickly it came together. It's very rich and creamy with an occasional piece of crunch or fluff.

Ingredients:
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped fine (or use good quality chocolate chips)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup roughly chopped peanuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick spray.

In a medium, heatproof bowl, toss 1st two chocolates with baking soda and salt. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set bowl over 4-quart saucepan containing 2 cups simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is almost fully melted and a few small pieces remain, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in marshmallows, peanuts and additional chips. Scrape fudge into prepared pan and spread in an even layer with the rubber spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours (or longer). Remove fudge from pan using foil. Peel off foil and cut into squares.

Yield: 30 to 40 pieces of fudge

Source: Recipe Girl

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Last week I met with my Bible study group for a dinner party and ornament swap. I made dessert for everyone, and I thought this would be a perfect ending for a Christmas meal. The addition of cranberries really make this a beautiful and tasty dessert. I also added gingersnap cookie crumbs to the topping to give it an extra dimension to the flavor. I've added them in the ingredients, but they are optional.
We had a choice of vanilla ice cream and eggnog ice cream to put on top of the warm crisp.


Ingredients:
for the filling:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
2/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

for the topping:
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled instant oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tablespoons gingersnap cookie crumbs (optional)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, combine the apple slices and cranberries in a medium bowl. Add the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the melted butter and toss the ingredients until the fruit is evenly coated. Pour the fruit into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, sugars, and cookie crumbs; toss with a fork until well combined. Add in the melted butter and mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. Crumble the mixture evenly over the fruit. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats; originally from Use Real Butter

Gingerbread Cut-out Cookies

These cookies are so much fun to make. I really enjoy making cut-out cookies, but sometimes it's hard to find the time to make them. Icing them is the most time consuming, but it's so much fun. I don't consider myself a great piper when it comes to icing, so I tried to keep the design simple. I struggled with the design for the gingerbread girl, and I finally decided to draw little bows on her dress.
I had a hard time keeping my hands out of these cookies because they were so good. My dad said he's not a big fan of gingerbread, but he liked these. They are really soft and delicious.

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg



Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the molasses and egg until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a liberally floured work surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Makes about 32 (3-inch) cookies

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

North Woods Bean Soup

It's been really chilly outside, and I haven't made soup in a while. This looked like a pretty easy recipe, so I decided to make it for our Sunday supper. I was really pleased with how it turned out. The Italian seasoning was perfect with the turkey sausage and the vegetables in the soup. I doubled the recipe and had my in-laws over. We all enjoyed the soup with a slice of skillet cornbread.

Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1 cup baby carrots, cut in thirds lengthwise
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:
Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. You may want to let it cool a little bit before you process so it won't explode out of the top of the blender. I learned the hard way.
Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 227 calories; 3.9g fat; 3.5mg iron; 26mg cholesterol; 112mg calcium; 30.8g carbohydrate; 750mg sodium; 18.1g protein; 6.7g fiber

Source: Cooking Light

Cream Pralines

My mother-in-law makes the best pralines in the world! They literally dissolve the second you put them in your mouth. Every Christmas she makes several batches of pralines for friends and family. A couple of years ago I brought some to my family's Christmas Eve gathering, and one of my uncles said they were the best pralines he has ever had. He also said that she could easily sell them.

My in-laws are in the process of remodeling their kitchen, so my MIL came over to my kitchen last week to make a couple of batches. I took advantage of that time so I could learn how to make them. I also took some pictures along the way.
According to my MIL, the key to these pralines is the cold dry weather. Candy is a weird thing... it really likes the cold weather. I suppose you could probably turn up the air conditioning if you live in a hot and humid climate. She also says that an iron skillet is a must!


Jenny B's Pralines

Ingredients:
1 (1-pound) box light brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In an iron skillet, combine sugar, salt, milk, and butter. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in the chopped pecans.



Increase heat to medium; continue cooking and stirring to soft ball stage (234-degrees on a candy thermometer).

Whatever you do, don't drop the candy thermometer in the mixture. If you do, the mixture may splash on your knuckle and make a blister. I spared you from a grosser picture. Trust me!


Once mixture has come to 234-degrees, remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cool for about 5 minutes.
(Meanwhile, place a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter.)
Stir mixture rapidly until mixture begins to thicken and coats pecans lightly.

Drop RAPIDLY from spoon (1 Tablespoon for large or 1 teaspoon for small patties). If mixture becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Let patties cool before removing from parchment paper.
Yield: about 5 dozen small patties

Source: Jenny Bishop

Chocolate Covered Toffee Bark

If you like to make things homemade for Christmas gifts, this is something that you can't skip out on. I think this is the best candy I've ever put in my mouth. Chocolate and toffee are some of my favorite combinations of flavors.
I made this for some people at work, and they all raved about it. I also sent some with my husband so he could let everyone at his job munch on it. It's really been a big hit with everyone that's tasted it.


This was actually pretty easy to make. The only things you really need that you may not have is a candy thermometer and some parchment paper.

Ingredients:
4 sticks salted butter
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 ounces of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
24 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate (I used Baker's brand)
8 ounces chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts)

Directions:
Tear off 2 large pieces of parchment paper (about 24-inches long each). Silicone baking mats also work, if you have them. Place them on the counter for later use.
Combine butter, sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook over moderate heat, stirring gently, until candy thermometer registers 298-degrees (this is the hardball stage for the toffee). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla until well combined.

Pour half of the mixture on the 1st sheet of parchment paper. Use a heatproof rubber spatula or offset spatula to spread QUICKLY before the toffee sets. Spread thin. It's okay if it's not all even. Repeat with the 2nd half of toffee mixture.

Allow toffee to cool completely... about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Blot the surface to remove excess oil. Congratulations! You have just made toffee!

Now let's cover it with chocolate.

Chop the semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. I used a food processor to save my hands from the aches of chopping. Put chocolate in a heat proof bowl and then set on top of a pot of boiling water (this creates a double boiler). Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Otherwise, it could burn the chocolate. I usually put about 2 inches of water in a saucepan and boil. Then I put the bowl of chocolate on top. Stir, and the chocolate will melt.

Once the chocolate has melted, let it sit on the counter until it has cooled off a bit. It should feel slightly warm to the touch, but it should obviously be spreadable.

Pour half of the chocolate over the 1st sheet of toffee. Spread the chocolate with a heatproof rubber spatula or offset spatula to cover the toffee. Immediately sprinkle chopped nuts over the chocolate. Repeat with the other half of the melted chocolate.
*Note: I made this on a really cold night. My chocolate was still a little sticky after 45-minutes, so I took it outside. It didn't take long to harden/set in the cool air.

When chocolate has totally set, carefully flip over. It's okay if it falls apart a bit. Coat the other side with the rest of the chocolate. Sprinkle on topping. Allow to set (again, I let it sit outside).

Once the chocolate is set, break into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Pack up in tins to give away. Try not to eat it all!

Source: adapted from Pioneer Woman

Greek Chicken and Slaw Pita

This is always what I order when I go to Zoe's Kitchen. I tried to recreate my own version of this pita, and I think it turned out quite delicious. I used chicken tenders, but you could use regular chicken breasts and slice them thin after cooking. This will definitely be a meal that I repeat again and again.

Ingredients:
1 cup Greek Slaw, divided
8 chicken tenders
Greek seasoning
4 pita pocket

Directions:
Season the chicken tenders with Greek seasoning. Coat a grill pan or nonstick skillet with olive oil and heat pan on medium. Cook chicken a few minutes on each side until cooked throughout. Put 2 chicken tenders inside each pita pocket and top with 1/4 cup Greek law.

Source: Inspired by Zoe's Kitchen