Brenda's Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Brown Sugar Icing

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Decorative Sprinkles

For Icing:

3 Tablespoon butter
3 Tablespoon milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls, flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then spread icing on cookies and add sprinkles before the icing hardens.
4. To Make Icing: Melt butter in saucepan.  Add brown sugar and let cool. Be careful not to let it cool completely or it will harden up and will have to be reheated. Add confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla. Icing should be at spreadable consistency.

I made this recipe on a whim one day when my husband surprised me by coming home with some fresh Prosciutto di Parma from our local Italian market, Fratelli’s (which I love by the way because they trim the fat from their prosciutto before they slice it. I wish all places did that!) I wanted to make a saltimbocca but I didn’t have any veal, so I used chicken instead and I was very pleasantly surprised! It was so delicious that I made it again two days later. I’m sure you’ll love my recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca as much as my family did. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs thinly sliced chicken breasts
• ¼ lbs paper thin and trimmed Prosciutto di Parma
• ¾ cup white wine
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Lay out thinly sliced chicken breast (pound if they are more than ¼ inch thick). Then top with prosciutto so that one entire surface of breast is covered.
3. Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on plate. Dredge chicken in flour and gently shake off excess.  Make sure prosciutto stays in place.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat in non stick pan. Working in batches, sauté each breast placing prosciutto side down first for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Chicken should have a nice golden brown color to it. Repeat process adding more olive oil as needed for each chicken breast.
5. Place chicken on baking sheet and place on upper rack in oven. Bake for 7-8 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, turn down heat to medium and add garlic to pan to cook for about 30 seconds.  Careful not to burn garlic!
7. Then add white wine to deglaze pan, scraping off brown bits from bottom and sides of pan.
8. Turn up heat and bring wine to a boil and let reduce.
9.  Add chicken stock. Roll butter in flour, add to sauce and whisk quickly to prevent clumping. This will thicken the sauce.  
10. Add thyme and parsley. Season with a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
11. Remove chicken from oven and top with wine sauce.  Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of stuffing mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped mushroom stems
• 2 ½ cup fresh Alaskan King Crabmeat (about 4-5 legs)
• ¾ cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 shallot-minced
• 1/3 cup white wine
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1 tbsp chopped chives (or scallions will work nicely as well)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cracked black pepper

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
2. Remove stems from mushrooms and with a small spoon, being careful not to break through, scrape insides of mushrooms to make a large cavity for stuffing. Finely chop stems.
3. Arrange caps cavity side up in baking dish, sprinkle cavities with a little salt and then toss around in melted butter to coat.
4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sautee chopped shallot, chopped stems, and chives and cook about 5 minutes or until soft. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in lemon juice, crabmeat and Panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
5. Stuff cavities generously with crabmeat mixture. Top each mushroom cap with a pinch of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Pour wine into the pan around the mushrooms.
6. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Ingredients:

• 18 oz jar Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups Rice Crispie cereal
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 12 oz milk chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Have ready several large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed or by hand, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter and butter until well blended. Add the puffed rice cereal and mix well.
3. Using your hands, form the mixture into walnut-size balls (about 1 generous tablespoon each) and place them on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until firm.
4. Melt the chocolates in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely boiling water or in the microwave. Add the oil and stir until smooth.
5. Using a fork and working with 1 chilled peanut butter ball at a time, dip the balls into the melted chocolate mixture, rolling to coat evenly. Shake off any excess chocolate and transfer to the lined baking sheets.
6. Set aside in refrigerator for at least one hour to set, or until chocolate has hardened

*The peanut butter balls can sit for as long as 8 hours at room temperature before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie (taken from Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie):

• 1 Ready Made Pie crust in 9-inch pie dish
• 1 15oz can pure pumpkin
• 1 12oz can evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves

For Topping:

• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

*Mix ingredients together in small bowl and set aside*

Directions for Pie:

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Mix sugar, salt, and spices in small bowl.
3. Beat eggs in large mixing bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar spice mixture.
4. Gradually stir in evaporated milk, until smooth with no lumps.
5. Let pie crust defrost according to package directions. Place in 9 in pie dish. Fold and scallop edges. (If you don’t know how to do this, Google it… there are instructional videos all over the internet that can teach you how to make a nice pie crust edge.)
6. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 425. Then reduce temperature to 350 and bake for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle topping evenly over pie. Return to oven cook another 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let stand for two hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with Chocolate Frangelico Cool Whip.

Chocolate Frangelico Cool Whip

• 2 cups Cool Whip
• ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp Frangelico liquor
• ½ tsp cinnamon

1. Melt chocolate chips. Add frangelico and cinnamon to melted chocolate.
2. Pour over Cool Whip and mix together evenly.

*If you have a hand mixer or electric stand mixer that would whip it together better than by hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 4 slices of smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In oven safe skillet or casserole dish crisp bacon over medium high heat. Remove bacon and set aside on plate lined with paper towels. Dispose of fat in the skillet.
3. Return skillet to stovetop. Deglaze pan with white wine, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan.
4. Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes.
5. Add Brussels sprouts and olive oil and mix together to combine and evenly coat.
6. Place skillet in oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and add butter and bacon, toss to combine.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.

A sophistiated and impressive twist on an incredibly simple side dish, and a perfect accompaniment for your Thanksgiving Day meal.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 2 tbsp  lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Toast walnuts and cranberries on baking sheet at 375 for about 3-5 minutes, careful not to burn. Let cool and coarsely chop.
2. In mixing bowl whisk: lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon, olive oil, and shallots.
3. Boil green beans in salted water for about 5-7 minutes. Until tender yet crisp. Strain and shake off any excess water.
4. Combine green beans and Dijon mixture. Toss to coat evenly. Top with walnuts and cranberries. Add salt and pepper to personal taste.

Thinly sliced and succulent chicken breast, sauteed with artichokes in a deliciuosly rich lemon, wine and butter sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 ¼  lb thinly sliced chicken breast
• 1 14oz can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup minced shallot
• 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ½  tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• Egg wash (one egg and 3 tbsp water)

Directions

1. Over medium heat melt 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in large saucepan
2. You’ll need two shallow dishes, one for the eggwash and in the other combine 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp paprika. 
3. Pat THINLY sliced chicken dry (pound them thin, if you can’t buy them thin) Dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off excess, and evenly coat in the egg wash.  Then place in pan. You’ll probably have to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
4. Brown the chicken on both sides on med-high heat, about 4 minutes on each side. Repeat steps until all the chicken has been browned and set aside.
5. Turn heat down to medium and add 1 tbsp of olive oil to pan.  Sautee shallots until translucent, being careful not to burn. Add artichokes and turn the heat up to medium high so that artichokes will get a little crisp to them.
6. Return heat to medium. Push the artichokes and shallots to one side of the pan, leaving an area for you to melt a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of flour together. Whisk together to create a roux which will thicken the sauce.
7. Mix together roux, shallots, and artichokes in pan. Add chicken stock, white wine, lemon juice, ½ tsp of salt, and ½ tsp pepper, and parsley. Stir to make sure the roux dissolves evenly in the liquid to prevent clumping. Let sauce reduce and flavors connect for about 10 minutes.
8. Return chicken to pan and spoon sauce over so that it is completely immersed in the sauce. Cook the chicken thoroughly, about 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken.
9. Remove chicken and put on serving platter or plate and pour sauce over top.

 Ingredients:

• 1 package Manicotti
• 3 cups Mrs. Lanzilli’s Marinara Sauce *(see recipe)
• 3 cups Ricotta Cheese
• 3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach, preferably in food processor
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Bring water to a boil in large saucepot. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp of salt. Gently boil manicotti, being careful not to break any. Cook according to package and drain in colander. Let cool a bit so it’s easier to work with.
3.  In mixing bowl combine ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, 1 tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder, and egg. Mix together well so that ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on bottom of baking dish.
5. Stuff each manicotti with cheese mixture and arrange in baking dish.
6. Pour remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce over top of manicotti. Sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella cheese on top and place in oven to bake for about 35 to 40 minute, until top is nicely browned.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion
• 2 large garlic clove
• 2 35oz can GOOD QUALITY whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ cup red wine- preferably Chianti
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ¼ cup chopped basil
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Roughly chop onion and garlic and put in food processor. Add salt and pepper. Pulse until finely minced. It will look almost like a moist paste.  *Having the garlic and onion be so fine allows it to really blend with the tomatoes, it almost melts right into the sauce!
2. In large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion mixture from food processor. Let cook in oil for about 5 minutes. Make sure onions do not burn.
3. Add 1 canned tomato to pot and mash the whole peeled tomatoes with potato masher. Put the other can of tomatoes in food processor for a few pulses, until whole tomatoes are ground up. Then add to pot.
4. Add chicken stock and red wine.  Stir to combine
5. Add freshly chopped parsley and basil.
6. Add tomato paste and sugar. Stir to combine.
7. Let simmer on medium low heat for 60 to 90 minutes.