4 to 4 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 Tbsp butter

1 cup raisins

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, salt, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.

Using your (clean) fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, then add in the raisins.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add beaten egg and buttermilk to well and mix in with a wooden spoon until dough is too stiff to stir.

Dust hands with a little flour, then gently knead dough in the bowl just long enough to form a rough ball. If the dough is too sticky to work with, add in a little more flour. Do not over-knead!

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a round loaf. Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough).

You want to work it just enough so that the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-knead, the bread will end up tough.

Score with an X:

Transfer dough to a large, lightly greased cast-iron skillet or a baking sheet (it will flatten out a bit in the pan or on the baking sheet).

Using a serrated knife, score top of dough about an inch and a half deep in an “X” shape. The purpose of the scoring is to help heat get into the center of the dough while it cooks.

Bake:

Transfer to oven and bake at 425°F until bread is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 35-45

(If you use a cast iron pan, it may take a little longer as it takes longer for the pan to heat up than a baking sheet.)

Check for doneness also by inserting a long, thin skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

Hint 1: If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent the bread with some aluminum foil.

Hint 2: If you use a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in the oven, be very careful when you take the pan out. It’s easy to forget that the handle is extremely hot. Be sure to put a pot holder over it.

Let cool a few minutes:

Remove pan or sheet from oven, let bread sit in the pan or on the sheet for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool briefly.

Serve bread warm, at room temperature, or sliced and toasted. Best when eaten warm and just baked.

1/2 cup fresh shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup fresh shredded Gruyère

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, (or dried Italian mixed herbs)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

8 large portobello mushrooms

Salt, to season

Cracked black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic minced (or 2 teaspoons minced garlic)

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a medium bowl, toss together Mozzarella, Gruyère, Parmesan, parsley, Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. Set aside.

Remove stems from portobello mushrooms and slice into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices.

Arrange one-third of mushrooms in the bottom of a 2-quart (2-litre) baking dish. Sprinkle with one-third of the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Repeat layering two more times.

Mix together cream and minced garlic and pour mixture over mushrooms.

Cover with foil and bake until mushrooms are tender, (about 30 minutes). Remove foil and carefully pour out excess liquid from the bottom of the dish into a small pot. Set pot aside.

Return mushrooms to the oven and broil/grill until golden, (about 4-5 minutes).

12 egg roll wrappers

2 bars Hershey’s Chocolate

4 graham crackers, crushed

24 marshmallows

Vegetable oil, for frying

1/4 c. cinnamon-sugar

Melted chocolate, for dipping (optional)

Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond shape and place 2 pieces chocolate, about 1 tablespoon of graham crackers crumbs, and 2 marshmallows.

Fold up bottom half and tightly fold in sides. Gently roll, then seal fold with a couple drops of water. Repeat until all egg roll wrappers are used.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil (it should reach 1″ up the side of pan) until it starts to bubble. Add egg rolls and fry until golden, 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with cinnamon sugar immediately.

Serve with melted chocolate, if using.

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 10-ounce bags frozen cauliflower rice (or 1 head of cauliflower, riced and cooked)

1 16-ounce bag frozen broccoli cuts

2 large eggs, whisked

3 cups, shredded mozzarella cheese

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a large 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to make them thinner, lightly coat them in olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Liberally season with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, heat the bags of frozen cauliflower rice and broccoli according to package instructions. Discard any excess water or moisture.

Remove chicken from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully chop baked chicken into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, add cooked cauliflower rice, broccoli, chicken, eggs, mozzarella cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and butter. Toss together until fully combined.

Transfer casserole mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining Italian blend cheese.

Bake for 50 minutes, until the cheese on top has fully melted and started to brown slightly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

4 cups cubed or shredded chicken, cooked
1 (10- ounce) can Ro-Tel, undrained
1 cup instant rice, uncooked
2 cups grated Colby Jack cheese, divided
1 (10.75- ounce) can Cream of Chicken Soup
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup canned corn, drained
optional – 1/2 cup black beans, drained
optional garnish – sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9×9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the chicken, Ro-Tel, rice, 1 1/2 cups grated Colby Jack cheese, Cream of Chicken soup, taco seasoning, milk, corn, and black beans if using. Stir to combine.
Pour mixture into prepared pan, sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

1 (17-ounce) container of purchased plain hummus

1/2 cup reduced-fat, crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (from about 2 onions)

3/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of  kosher salt

cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large red pepper, optional (look for one with broad, flat sides)

1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons very finely crumbled, reduced-fat feta cheese

dippers for serving: whole-grain pita chips, wedges of whole-wheat pita bread, pretzels

or any red and green veggies

In a medium-sized bowl, combine hummus, 1/2 cup feta, and green onions.

Place a small bowl or drinking glass in the center of a large, round platter

Use a rubber scraper to spread the hummus mixture in a circle all around the bowl/glass you placed at the center

Remove the bowl/glass from the center using a gentle, upward twisting motion. If needed, you can carefully insert the tip of a toothpick under the edge of the bowl/glass to help it release.

In another small bowl, toss parsley, oil, and salt until the parsley is thoroughly coated and the oil and salt are evenly distributed.

Spoon parsley mixture in a circle on top of the hummus layer, leaving a small border of hummus showing all around.

Place halved cherry tomatoes, cut-side down, randomly throughout the parsley layer, so they look like Christmas ornaments.

If making the optional bow out of red pepper, cut one broad, flat side off the pepper (as shown in the photo in our post), and gently but firmly press a metal, bow-shaped cookie cutter (we use this one) through the pepper slice to cut out your bow. Place the bow on your wreath.

Sprinkle entire wreath lightly with a dusting of 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons very finely crumbled feta, to look like snow. You can adjust the exact amount of feta, depending on the diameter of your wreath – you want it to look like just a light dusting, without using so much feta that it hides the other ingredients.

Serve immediately with dippers of your choice, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1-2 days

Prepared pizza dough (or make your own)

Pizza sauce or Pesto

Mini peperoni

Mozzarella cheese

Green, red and yellow pepper

Any other topping you want!  Banana peppers, black olives etc

Prepare pizza crust according to package directions.

On lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into large rectangle, about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick.

Using large Christmas tree cookie cutter, cut out 12 Christmas trees, re-rolling dough as needed. Transfer tree pizzas to 2 large parchment paper–lined baking sheets, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Spread sauce over each pizza; sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with pepperoni, colored peppers and any other topping…be creative 🙂

Bake according to package directions, about 10 to 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Cranberry Pistachio Coating
1 1/4 cups cranberries
1 cup shelled roasted, salted pistachios

Cheese Log
7-8 oz. goat cheese log or tub
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 tsp EACH ground ginger, ground cinnamon, salt, dried thyme, dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Cranberry Pistachio Coating mixture (in directions)

Garnish with honey

Instructions:

Add cranberries and pistachios to your food processor and chop into small pieces (but don’t over-process). Remove ½ cup and add it to a medium bowl. Add all remaining Goat Cheese Log ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.

Add this cheese mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap, and form into the shape of a log. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freezer for 20-30 minutes. We want the cheese log slightly firm so it holds its shape but is still soft enough for the Coating to be pressed into it.

Line counter with about a large piece parchment paper. Add Coating ingredients to parchment and spread into a single layer square a little larger than the length of the cheese log. Add cheese log to the edge of the coating and roll in coating until evenly coated, pressing coating into the cheese so it sticks. The cheese log can be refrigerated at this point until ready to serve or serve immediately.

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator 15 minutes beforehand so it can soften. Drizzle generously with honey just before serving. Serve with crackers.

1 cup salted butter, softened

1/3 c finely chopped dried cranberries

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp orange zest

Dash of cinnamon

Whip butter for 3 minutes using an electric or stand mixer

Add in cranberries, syrup, orange zest and cinnamon.

Mix on High for 2 minutes

Refrigerate leftovers

Cooking spray

10 (8-inch) flour tortillas

3/4 c. marinara

2 c. shredded mozarella

1/4 c. chopped pepperoni

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3 tbsp. butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

Working with one tortilla at a time, spread approximately 1 tablespoon of sauce on tortilla slightly offset from the center. Then top with mozzarella, pepperoni, and a pinch of both oregano and crushed red pepper.

From the edge closest to your filling, roll the tortilla as tightly as you can and place it on prepared sheet pan, seam side down. Repeat process with remaining tortillas.

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter and garlic. Brush garlic butter onto tops of taquitos, making sure to coat evenly. Then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until tops of taquitos are golden.

Garnish with basil before serving.