Today I've got a few different recipes for y'all PLUS another great pic of the Girls. I love them.
And my Fall mantle I put together:
The cornucopia is a gift I received from Janet, Chris' stepmom, & the candle holder to the right (facing the mantle) of the picture is this project that I found on Pinterest. The picture was $6 at my fave place, Wal-Mart. I love Wal-Mart. I've probably said it before but I can spend HOURS at Wal-Mart. My last trip prompted me to state that I need a shock collar with a max allowable to spend programmed into it.
OK....on to the food!
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 lb Ziti
Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
1 cup Half & Half
1 cup 2% Milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp White Pepper
2 cups Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese
4 oz Cream Cheese, cubed
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, cook your Ziti for 4 mins. It will still be semi-firm. Drain the Ziti and in the same pot, toss in Olive Oil & mix well with the Ziti. Spray a baking dish with non stick spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, half & half, milk, eggs, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Stir in your cheese & then add your Ziti.
Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish & scatter the Cream Cheese cubes over the top. Bake for 5 mins and then use a spoon to spread the melted Cream Cheese across the top. Bake for another 40 mins until bubbly on top. After done baking, switch on the broiler and broil for a few mins until the top is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 20 mins.
NOTES:
I will use less Cream Cheese next time
The Nutmeg gave it really great flavor
I might cook the pasta a little longer in the beginning next time.
Now, while the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese was cooking for the 40 min stint, I started in on my Baked Chicken Parmesan
INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup Spicy Marinara
DIRECTIONS:
My oven was already being used at 350 for the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese so that's what it stayed on. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray. Combine the Italian Bread Crumbs & Parmesan Cheese in a bowl. Brush your Chicken Breasts lightly with Olive Oil & then dip each in the Breadcrumb Mixture. Place on baking sheet & bake for 35 mins. Once the Cream Cheese Mac & Cheese was done, I bumped the temp up to 450 degrees & cooked for another 15 mins. When the Chicken was cooked through, I turned over & baked for 5 additional mins. Then, I spooned Spicy Mozzarella over each Chicken Breast, topped with Mozzarella Cheese & baked for another 5 mins.
And VOILA!
NOTES:
I had to whip out my food processor and blend up the Marinara Sauce so there weren't any chunks in it
Definitely cook the chicken for 20 mins at 450 as the original recipe states.
My seasonal theory is that "Fall starts as soon as Starbucks starts serving the Pumpkin Spice Latte". Oh, pumpkin....how I love thee. If I could pumpkin ALL THE THINGS, I would. I've never actually tried pumpkining things until this season though. My very first Pumpkin venture just happened to be Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. I've never been a huge fan of snickerdoodles....I'm more of a chocolate chip M&M or peanut butter cookie kind of gal......but I figured in the spirit of Fall (and because Chris likes snickerdoodles), I would try my hand at them.
INGREDIENTS:
Cookies-
3 3/4 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
2 sticks Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 can Pumpkin
1 Egg
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Coating-
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice
Directions:
Whisk together Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon & Nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat together the Butter & Sugars until well combined then beat in Pumpkin, Egg & Vanilla Extract. Add in the dry ingredients & beat until just combined. Cover & refrigerate for an hour. Remove from the fridge and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a third bowl, combine the combine the Sugar & Spices for the coating. Scoop dough and roll into a ball. Roll the dough ball in the sugar mixture & place on the baking sheet leaving a couple inches in between each cookie. Take a drinking glass with a flat bottom, moisten with water and dip the glass in the sugar mixture. Use the sugared glass to flatten each cookie. Re-sugar the glass as needed. Bake the cookies for 12 mins & allow to cool.
These cookies were flat out phenomenal. There's nothing else to say.
Until next time.....
-Samantha
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