by Darci Hannah
In smaller saucepan, combine butter, garlic, and cream. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and sauce simmers. Remove from heat and set aside.
When potatoes are done, remove from heat and drain off the water. With potato masher, mash warm potatoes in the pot. Stir in garlic cream mixture. Potatoes will become light and creamy. Next, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Let mixture rest a few minutes before serving.
Carrot-Raisin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 minutes. Bake time: 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup milk
¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
1 cup peeled and grated carrots
½ cup raisins
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or use paper baking cups. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In bowl of electric mixer, mix eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Add milk and melted butter and continue mixing. Add flour mixture and blend well. Stir in carrots, raisins, and nuts.
Scoop batter into muffin cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending well. Add in the vanilla extract. Beat until frosting has a light, fluffy texture, about 5 minutes.
Bacon and Spinach Quiche
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 35 to 40 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 piecrust (use your favorite premade or homemade crust)
1 cup milk
5 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into little pieces
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie plate with crust and crimp the edges.
In medium bowl whisk milk, eggs, salt, and pepper and set aside.
On bottom of piecrust, layer cooked bacon, Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, and scallions. Pour egg mixture over the top and bake 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Cherry-Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes. Cook time: 13 to 15 minutes per batch. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup pecans, toasted then chopped
1¼ cups (2¼ sticks) butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup dried tart cherries
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (can be made with white chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips as well)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put pecans on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and let cool before chopping.
In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until blended. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add this mixture to the butter-sugar mixture one cup at a time until dough is well blended. Add cherries, chocolate chips, and pecans.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop ¼ cup cookie dough, placing each cookie 3 inches apart. Bake in oven for 13 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes before serving.