Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies (Mom)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter-flavored shortening
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 
  FILLING:
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 to 6 tablespoons milk

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition after each addition. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Shape into 1-in. balls and place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten to 3/8-in. thickness with fork. Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.
• For filling, in a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie. Yield: 44 sandwich cookies.

Eva Longoria's Recipe for Aunt Elsa's Devil's Food Cake

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 ½ cups cake flour, plus more for pans
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ½ cups lightly packed browned sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup boiling water
• For the Frosting:
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 4 cups (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 large egg
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Preparation

In the top of a double boiler or in a stainless-steel mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift the flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.

In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until lightened in color, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Reduce the speed to low and beat in the chocolate. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with buttermilk in 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour. Beat in the water until smooth.

Pour into the prepared pans. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Let the cake layers cool in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the outside and turn out onto wire racks. Peel off the paper. Flip them over to completely cool right-side up on the wire racks. If not assembling right away, cover layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 1 day.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In the top of a double boiler or in a stainless-steel mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool.

In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, place the cooled, melted chocolate, the sugar, and the hot water. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg, butter and vanilla. Continue beating until the frosting is thick and fluffy and mounds beautifully on a spoon.

When ready to fill and frost the cake, hold a serrated knife horizontally and use a gentle sawing motion to shave the domed top off each layer. Fill and frost the cake, using a crumb coat, (see note) if you have time.

Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Note: If you have time after all the layers are filled, applying a “crumb coat” to the sides and top of the cake ensures that no crumbs get mixed into the frosting and mar the cakes appearance. To apply a crumb coat, place a small amount of frosting in a dish and use an offset spatula to spread a thin coat all over the sides and top of the cake. Place in the refrigerator until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the fridge and frost the sides and top. 

Eva Longoria's Hot Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• For the Hot Artichoke Dip:
• 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Toast Triangles (recipe follows) or assorted crackers, for serving 
• For the Toast Triangles:
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened, or as needed
• 12 slices day-old white bread
• Garlic or onion powder
• Sweet paprika
• Kosher salt

Eva Longoria's Enchiladas Rojas

 Ingredients

• 10 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 10 dried ancho chiles
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 cup chicken broth from cooked chicken, or store bought
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil or as needed
• Kosher salt to taste
• About 48 corn tortillas
• 1 4-pound whole chicken, poached and shredded
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped (optional)
• 3 cups grated or crumbled queso fresco or shredded Mexican cheese
• Mexican rice, for serving
• Refried Beans, for serving 

Preparation

For the sauce: place the tomatoes and chiles in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook gently until the chiles are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and remove the stems from the chiles. Working in batches if necessary, place the tomatoes, chiles, garlic and chicken broth in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until well puréed. 

In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat until shimmery and hot but not smoking. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat. Set aside until cool. 

For the enchiladas: Line baking sheet or platter with paper towels. In a small skillet, heat 1 cup of oil until shimmery and hot but not smoking. Lightly fry the tortillas one at a time just until softened, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined pan to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat one of two baking dishes with cooking spray. 

Working with one tortilla at a time, dip a tortilla in the red sauce, lightly soaking both sides completely. Place the tortilla in baking dish and arrange about 1 tablespoon of chicken in a line just above the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle over a bit of onion, if desired. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it at one end of the baking dish. Repeat with all of the tortillas until all the enchiladas are snug in the dish. Use a second baking dish if necessary. 

 

When all of the enchiladas are rolled and snug in a baking dish, pour over any remaining sauce. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and cover the pan(s) with foil. Place the baking dishes in the oven until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve directly from the dish, using a spatula to scoop out the enchiladas. Serve with Mexican rice and refried beans. 

Topy-Turvy Egg Bake (Rachel Ray)

Do you want your kids to eat a healthier breakfast and teach them how to cook at the same time? This is a very kid friendly recipe. Let me know how it goes!

Ingredients:

2 english muffins

1 bunch broccolini or broccoli

1 large shallot

5 oz swiss cheese

5 eggs

3/4 cup half-and-half

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. finely grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Get the ingredients ready. Tear up the english muffins into crumb size bits. Trim the broccolini and cut into 1/2 inch pieces; chop the shallot. Shred the swiss cheese. In a large liquid measure, beat together the eggs and half-and-half. 

2. Preheat the oven to 325. In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the english muffin crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate. Wipe out skillet and reserve. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

3. In the reserved skillet, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the broccolini and cook for 1 minute. Add the 1/2 cup water, increase the heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the water is evaporated and the broccolini is crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup swiss cheese. Pour the egg mixture on top of the broccolini mixture. 

4. In a small bowl, toss together the toasted crumbs and the remaining swiss cheese. Sprinkle onto the casserole, then top with the parmesan. Bake in the center of the oven until the eggs are set and the top is browned, about 30 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (Aimee)

 Ingredients:
* 6-8 Skinless, Boneless chicken breast halves (cut into 1 inch cubes)
* Vegetable Oil
* 2 Eggs
* 1 cup Flour
* 3/4 cup Sugar
* 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice
* 1 20 oz. can Pineapple Chunks
* 1/4 cup White Vinegar
* 3/4 cup Ketchup
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 T Soy Sauce

Directions:

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Sprinkle chicken breasts with garlic salt.

(3) In a frying pan on high heat, add 1/2-inch vegetable oil. In a bowl, beat 2 eggs. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Dunk pieces of chicken in the egg, and allow excess to drain. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour coating thoroughly. Drop pieces into the hot oil and cook until deep golden brown. Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides.

(4) While chicken is cooking, combine the following in a saucepan over medium-low heat: sugar, pineapple juice, white vinegar, ketchup, salt and soy sauce. Stir mixture occasionally until it comes to a low boil and then reduce heat just enough to keep the sauce warm.

(5) Place cooked chicken pieces and pineapple chunks in a 9×13 pan. Pour warm sweet and sour sauce over the top.

(6) Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, and serve over rice or egg noodles.

Chile-Lime Shrimp with Papaya Guacamole and Lime Crema and Skillet Toasted Corn Salad

Prep: 25 minutes  Marinate: 15 minutes  Chill: 2 hours (sauce)  Broil: 3 minutes Ingredients: 32 fresh or frozen large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 2 pounds total) ¼ cup lime juice 1 to 2 tablespoons habanero chile sauce 2 cloves garlic*, minced ½ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 tostada shells, heated according to package directions 1 Recipe Lime Crema, below1 Recipe Papaya Guacamole, belowLime wedges (optional) ONE Thaw shrimp, if frozen, and pat dry with paper towels. Place shrimp in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. TWO For marinade, in a small bowl combine lime juice, habanero chile sauce and garlic. Pour marinade over shrimp. Seal bag; turn to coat shrimp. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to 1 hour, turning bag occasionally. (The shrimp will get spicier the longer they marinate.) Drain shrimp, discarding marinade. THREE Thread shrimp onto four or five metal or bamboo† skewers, leaving ¼-inch space between shrimp. Place skewers on a broiler pan. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 2 minutes. Turn shrimp over and broil 1 minute more or until shrimp are opaque. FOUR To serve, divide shrimp among tostada shells. Break tostadas in half, if desired. Top with Lime Crema and Papaya Guacamole and serve with lime wedges, if desired. Makes 8 servings. Nutrition Facts per serving: 286 cal., 13 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 182 mg chol., 427 mg sodium, 17 g carb., 4 g dietary fiber, 26 g protein. Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 medium-fat meat, 1.5 fat. † To use bamboo skewers: Soak them in water for at least 1 hour before broiling. Lime Crema: In a small bowl combine one 8-ounce carton light sour cream* and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Serve at once, or cover and chill up to 4 hours. Papaya Guacamole: Halve, seed and peel 2 very ripe avocados*, then finely dice. In a large bowl combine diced avocado, ½ cup finely chopped red onion*, 1 fresh serrano chile pepper** that has been seeded and finely chopped and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Fold in 1/3 cup diced papaya and ¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro*. Season to taste with coarse salt. Serve immediately or cover surface tightly with plastic wrap and chill for up to 2 hours. *available organic ** Handling hot chile peppers: Because hot chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.

Skillet Toasted Corn SaladStart to finish: 30 minutes 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil* ¼ cup lemon juice* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 3 cloves garlic*, minced ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon salt Few dashes bottled hot pepper sauce 6 ears fresh corn 20 baby sweet peppers (10 ounces) or 4 medium red, yellow and/or green sweet peppers* 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (½ cup) 1 head romaine lettuce*, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces ONE For dressing, in a screw-top jar, combine the 1/3 cup oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, black pepper, salt and hot pepper sauce. Cover and shake well; set aside. TWO Remove husks and silk from corn. Cut kernels from corn cobs. In a large skillet cook corn kernels in the 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat about 10 minutes or until corn is tender and golden brown, stirring often. Turn down heat as necessary to prevent corn from popping out of the skillet. Remove from heat; keep warm. THREE Remove seeds from sweet peppers. Cut baby sweet peppers into large pieces or coarsely chop medium sweet peppers. In a large bowl combine sweet peppers and corn. Top with cheese. Pour dressing over mixture; toss lightly to coat. Serve over romaine. Makes 8 servings. Nutrition Facts per serving: 178 cal., 12 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 6 mg chol., 118 mg sodium, 18 g carb., 4 g dietary fiber, 5 g protein. Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat.