Sandies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Beat butter until soft. Add 1/2 cup flour, all of the sugar, water and vanilla. Beat in remaining flour. Stir in pecans. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cookies cool and then place in a ziploc bag with powdered sugar and gently shake until covered.

Juana Quinn

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. shortening

Directions
Combine peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet.
Place cookie sheet in refrigerator for 1 hour.
When balls are set, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small bowl.
Dip peanut butter balls in the chocolate mixture and place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Let balls set in refrigerator for an hour before serving.

Juana Quinn

Apple Nachos

Here is Sugary Sweets Recipe

4 large Granny Smith apples, sliced 

35 large marshmallows 

1/4 cup butter 

35 caramels 

1 Tbsp evaporated milk (or half and half) 

 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet morsels 

2 Tbsp chocolate syrup 

Slice apples and arrange on platter. In saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter until creamy. Set aside. In microwave dish, melt caramels with milk (cooking in 30 second intervals, and stirring). Set aside. Pour marshmallow cream over apple slices, followed by caramel sauce. Drizzle chocolate syrup and sprinkle with peanuts and mini chocolate morsels. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Grilled Pineapple

Directions:
1 fresh Pineapple
1/4 t. Honey
3 T. Butter, melted
Spoonful of brown sugar

Instructions:
Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple and hack lengthwise into eighths.  Trim off the middle core and outside prickly side.

Mix honey and butter and place pineapple into marinade.  Marinate for however long you think is appropriate. Sprinkle brown sugar just before grilling.


Grill pineapple for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until heated through and grill marks appear. Usually takes about 20 minutes.

Chicken Salad on A Log

Ingredients

8 wide celery ribs, trimmed
1/3 cup cream cheese (2 ounces), softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 pound cooked chicken breast, finely chopped or shredded
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the celery ribs so they sit flat, then cut them on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, parsley and lemon zest. Add the chicken, peas, and onion and stir gently until just combined. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the chicken salad onto each piece of celery.

Wegman's Pasta Salad

This recipe came from some worker at Wegman's. I tried it and, as always, was impressed with Weggies! Grilled veggies (about 2-2.5 cups) 1 pound Chellentani pasta Wegman's Parmesan Italian Dressing Grill up some veggies (I used peppers mushrooms and zucchini). Boil one pound of pasta. Drain and rinse. Mix veggies into pasta. Add Wegman's Parmesan Italian Dressing to taste. Refrigerate to let the flavors blend. Kait Smith

Creamy Fruit Freeze

Creamy Fruit Freeze
4 C berries or roughly diced fruit
1 C sugar
1 C heavy whipping cream
Combine fruit and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth.  Reserve 1 cup of the puree (store in fridge until ready to use).  In a mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until soft-medium peaks form.  Gently fold into the remaining puree just until combined.  Place in a freezer safe container and freeze until firm (about 2-4 hours).  Scoop into bowls and serve with remaining puree and extra berries if desired.  Serves 6 small servings.
(* from Our Best Bites) 
(I only added a little bit of sugar)

Asparagus Beef Bundles

Asparagus
Creamy horseradish
Thinly sliced roast beef

* Cut off the top 4ish inches of the asparagus. Put them in a pot of boiling water until water turns emerald green (this usually takes about 5-10 seconds). Spread creamy horseradish on roast beef and roll asparagus up in it. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Emily

Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:

Yellow or red onions

Roma Tomatoes

Cilantro

Jalapenos

Lime

Salt

1. Dice up onions.

2. Dice up an equal amount of tomatoes

3. Grab a bunch of cilantro- equal in quantity to the tomatoes and chop finely.

4. Slice 1 or 2 jalapenos in half.  With a spoon scrape out the seeds and dice the jalapeno very finely. 

5. Dump all the the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno into a bowl.

6. Slice a lime in half and squeeze juice from half a lime into the bowl. 

7. Sprinkle with Salt and stir together, taste and season again as needed. 

Eat and enjoy!

For the Guacamole- 

1. Halve 2 avocados lengthwise and remove the pit and scoop out the deliciousness onto a plate.  

2. Sprinkle salt of the the avocados and mash with a fork until it's the consistency you want. 

3. Throw on a big pile of Pico de gallo

4. Stir gently

Eat with Tortilla Chips :) 

~ Eliza
* From The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Pizza Bites

2 recipes pizza dough
8 oz. block mozzarella cheese
4-6 oz. thin sliced pepperoni
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 C. olive oil
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza or marinara sauce

Prepare pizza dough and chop pepperoni. Cut block of mozzarella into 48 cubes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease three pie pans. Spread a thin layer of sauce on bottom off each pan.
Pinch off walnut sized pieces of dough. In each dough piece, place a few pieces of pepperoni and a cube of cheese. Seal and pinch the dough around the meat and cheese and place seam side down in a pie pan.
Repeat, placing about 16 dough balls in each pan .
Once assembled, combine oil and spices and brush over the balls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 16-20 min. Dip in leftover pizza sauce.

Basic Pizza Dough
(double to do a whole pizza bite batch)

1 pkg active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp. loose yeast)
1 C. warm water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 3/4 C. flour

Combine yeast and warm water, stir to dissolve.
Add oil, salt, and flour. Stir to combine.
Once dough starts to come together, turn out onto a floured counter and knead to thoroughly combine- until dough is smooth and elastic (I just used my Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook attachment).
Place dough ball in a greased bowl, set in a warm place, and allow dough to rise until doubled, approximately an hour.

~K.F.

Grilled Pizza 101- or you can bake them too... (it's kind of a long post)

Great Grill Dough:

Ingredients:

• 10 ounce bread flour (about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°), divided
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons cornmeal

Preparation

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and spoons; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup warm water, thyme, oregano, and garlic in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; mix until combined. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Dissolve yeast in the remaining 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add yeast mixture and salt to flour mixture; beat at low speed 5 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover dough with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.
3. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour or until the dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Press each portion into a 7-inch circle on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
5. Place pizza dough rounds, cornmeal side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 3 minutes or until blistered. Turn dough over; grill for 3 minutes. Remove from grill. 
   * Then add toppings and return to grill for about 5 minutes.

All Purpose Pizza Dough:

Ingredients: 5 cups unbleached bread flour, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey , 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt , 1 teaspoon fast-rising active dry yeast , 2 tablespoons olive oil , 1 3/4 cups plus 1 Tbsp. water, at room temperature , Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray

Directions: 1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with dough hook(s) or in a large bowl using a large spoon, combine all ingredients except cooking spray. Mix on low or by hand about 3 minutes, until ingredients are combined and all the flour is moistened. Dough will be soft and the gluten will not yet be fully developed at this point.
2. If using an electric mixer, increase speed to medium; mix 2 minutes longer. If working by hand, continue mixing with the spoon; or turn dough out onto a counter and knead. Mix long enough to form a smooth, supple dough, about 3 minutes. If dough seems very stiff, incorporate more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as you mix. If dough is wet and sticky, sprinkle in more flour as you mix. Dough should be tacky but not sticky.
3. Lightly coat an 8-quart bowl with cooking spray or oil. Form dough in a smooth ball and place in bowl, turning once to coat surface with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, without letting wrap touch surface of dough. Let dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate dough overnight or up to 3 days. (Dough will continue to rise in bowl until nearly doubled, then will go dormant from the cold.)
4. Two hours before assembling the pizzas, remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Mist a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or lightly rub with olive oil. Cut dough in four portions. Form each portion in a smooth round ball.*
5. Place each ball of dough on prepared baking sheet. Lightly mist with cooking spray, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand to come to room temperature.

Multi grain Pizza Dough with Honey: Yield: 4 balls of pizza dough

Ingredients: 4 cups unbleached bread flour , 3/4 cup whole wheat flour , 1/4 cup rye flour (or cornmeal or additional whole wheat flour , 1 1/2 tablespoons honey , 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt (or 2 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt , 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (also labeled bread-machine or fast-rising yeast) , 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cups water, at room temperature

Directions: Same as above.

Pizza Sauce:

Ingredients- Fresh crushed tomatoes or 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes , 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar , 1/2 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder , 1/2 tsp dried basil , 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 - ½ tsp salt , 1/4 - 1/2 cup water

In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients except the salt and water. Taste sauce and whisk in 1/4 cup water and enough salt to taste. If necessary, add more water to thin. It should easily spread over the dough.

Herb Oil:

Ingredients: 1 cup olive oil, 1 T granulated garlic (or 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder), 1 T dried basil, 1 T dried parsley , 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried or fresh rosemary, crumbled, 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper, (optional) 1/2 tsp Spanish paprika, mild or hot, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 - 1 1/2 tsp salt/pepper, to taste .

• In a medium bowl whisk all ingredients together for about 15 seconds, long enough to evenly distribute ingredients. Let the herb oil stand at least 30 minutes at room temperature for flavors to meld.

Pizza with Prosciutto, Arugula and Lemon: 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded fontina cheese, 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto , 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil $, 1 teaspoon lemon juice , 3 cups packed baby arugula ,  4 lemon wedges  Sprinkle about 5 tablespoons fontina over each pizza. Top evenly with prosciutto and pepper. Combine oil and lemon juice in a bowl; add arugula, and toss gently. Divide arugula mixture evenly among pizzas. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
 *My favorite :)

Spring Vegetable Pizza: 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, 1 large bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces, 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, 7 oz Gruyere cheese.

*Preheat oven to 500 with racks in upper and lower thirds. Roll dough into a large oval. Place on baking sheet with parchment paper. Place mixed vegetables on the dough. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating half way through. Sprinkle cheese on and backe 3-5 more minutes.

Peach and Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza:

Ingredients: ½ cup mozzarella cheese, 1 cup shredded chicken breast, 1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola, 1 medium peach, thinly sliced, 1/3 cup balsalmic vinegar.

Brush 1 t olive oil over crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, chicken, gorgonzola, and peaches. Back for 11 mintues or until crust browns. In a small saucepan cook balsalmic vinegar on meadium heat until reduced to 2 Tablespoons. Drizzle reduction over pizza. *You can also top it with shallots and arugula.

Mushroom- Garlic Pizza:

Ingredients: Caramelized Garlic (Place 1 cup of peeled garlic cloves (3 to 4 bulbs). in a small saucepan with enough olive oil to cover the garlic (about 1 cup). Simmer over medium heat about 20 minutes, until garlic is a rich dark golden brown on the outside. They should develop what resembles a crust. Continue to cook until garlic is dark, rich brown. Stir occasionally to prevent garlic from sticking to the pan and burning. Remove from heat. Let garlic stand in oil for 15 minutes. ), 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms- saute in pan with 1 Tsp oil , 1 1/2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms, Salt and freshly ground black pepper , 2 cups shredded Gruyere or provolone cheese, 4 tsp Multipurpose Herb Oil , 1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped.

Prepare dough and roll into large circle. Top with gratted cheese, mushrooms, garlic. Just before serving drizzle herb oil on top and sprinkle the parsley.

Marinated Artichoke Pizza:

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil , 2 large onions, sliced in strips , 2 tablespoons sugar , 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar , 1 4 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in strips 1

16 ounce jar fire-roasted red peppers, drained and sliced in strips, 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups purchased salsa fresca, drained, 1 cup sliced black olives. (you may also add sun dried tomatoes)

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Cook onions in hot oil about 10 minutes, until translucent. Stir in sugar and balsamic vinegar; cook until juices bubble. Transfer onions to a strainer set over a bowl. Drain for 3 minutes. Return juices to skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until the consistency of honey. Remove from heat. Return onions to skillet. Stir to coat, then set aside.

For pizzas, stretch each dough portion in a circle. One at a time, transfer to a pizza peel (pizza-size spatula) or rimless cookie sheet dusted with flour. Top with onion mixture, artichokes, peppers, salsa, then olives. Bake at 500 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, until toppings bubble, cheese turns golden, and pizza edges are golden brown. Rotate pizzas halfway through baking time. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Margherita Pizza- stretch dough into 8-10 inch rounds. Top with pizza sauce, ½ cup shredded mozarella cheese, 1 T grated parmesan cheese, and several basil leaves. Back at 500 for 5-7 minutes.

Pesto Pizza - Olive oil, for brushing, Coarse salt and ground pepper , Basic Basil Pesto , Tomato slices, Prosciutto slices , Fresh mozzarella slices , Roasted bell pepper slices

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with a baking sheet on middle rack. Brush dough with olive oil, then add your favorite toppings. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to hot sheet; bake until bottoms are crisp and toppings are heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Top with dollops of Basic Basil Pesto and serve immediately. 

 Hawaiian- Tomato sauce or sliced tomato, pineapple chunks, Canadian bacon, sharp Cheddar.

 Shrimp Scampi- Sautéed shrimp and garlic, chopped arugula, Parmesan, mozzarella.

 Scalloped Potato- Thinly sliced cooked red-skinned potatoes, caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, Fontina cheese, a drizzle of heavy cream or ranch dressing.

 Alfredo- Alfredo sauce, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, Parmesan.

 Salad- Mesclun mix, sliced grape tomatoes, shaved Pecorino or Parmesan, balsamic vinaigrette. (Add toppings after baking.)

 Middle Eastern- Hummus, sliced tomato, pitted Kalamata olives, green olives, crumbled Feta cheese, fresh parsley, a drizzle of olive oil.

*Recipes from Real Simple, Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and BH&G.