Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies

After making the Honey Salted Caramel Sauce, I had to make something else to put them on. Caramel and Chocolate are a perfect combo. These cookies turned out gooey and delicious. A great treat for your family or neighbors.

Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 c white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 c flour
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugars for 5 minutes using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add salt, cocoa powder and baking soda and mix for 2-3 minutes. Add flour one cup at a time while mixer is on low. Add chocolate chips and use a spoon to fold them in. Place 2 TBSP cookie dough, 12 balls to an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies set on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing. Once cookies are removed, spoon 1 tsp of salted caramel sauce on top of each cookie. Sprinkle with a bit more Kosher salt on each cookie.


Honey Salted Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c honey
1/3 c water
1 c heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a 2 qt, heavy bottomed sauce pan, add sugar, honey and water, stirring until sugar is melted, over medium high heat. Once sugar is dissolved, stop stirring. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to cook until it becomes golden in color and thermometer reaches 300 degrees. TIP: Make sure thermometer is in the sugar mixture and NOT touching the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, butter, and salt. IT WILL BUBBLE UP VIOLENTLY. Using a clean wooden spoon (not the one used to stir the sugar at the beginning of the recipe), stir until cream and butter are incorporated. Bring caramel sauce up to 260 degrees F. Once it reaches this temp, remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir in completely. Carefully pour hot caramel into clean Mason jars.

Honey Salted Caramel Sauce

I was making salted caramel sauce last week for some cookies I was making and I ran out of corn syrup. Seeing as I didn't want to go to the store at 8 pm, I decided to see if honey would work. It not only worked, it is better than the original. The honey gave it a slightly floral flavor.  This is a great Christmas present for friends and family and very versatile in your own kitchen. Use it for cookies, ice cream sundaes, topping cheesecakes, for a cupcake filling, or just take a spoon and eat straight from the jar. This recipe requires a candy thermometer. They are only about $5 at any kitchen supply store.

Honey Salted Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c honey
1/3 c water
1 c heavy cream
1 stick butter
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla

In a 2 qt, heavy bottomed sauce pan, add sugar, honey and water, stirring until sugar is melted, over medium high heat. Once sugar is dissolved, stop stirring. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to cook until it becomes golden in color and thermometer reaches 300 degrees. TIP: Make sure thermometer is in the sugar mixture and NOT touching the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, butter, and salt. IT WILL BUBBLE UP VIOLENTLY. Using a clean wooden spoon (not the one used to stir the sugar at the beginning of the recipe), stir until cream and butter are incorporated. Bring caramel sauce up to 260 degrees F. Once it reaches this temp, remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir in completely. Carefully pour hot caramel into clean Mason jars.

Quiche Lorraine

This is not a new recipe by any sort of the imagination. Lots of people post recipes for Quiche Lorraine. This is just my version of a classic. It's a great, easy breakfast for Christmas morning. You can even make it the night before and just set it in the fridge overnight. And I, the person who HATES eggs, actually likes this recipe.

Quiche Lorraine

1 deep dish pre-made pie crust
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
1 TBSP grated yellow onion
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 TBSP fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take a fork and poke holes into the bottom of the pie crust. This will prevent it from bubbling up during cooking.  Place premade crust in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until browned and cooked 75% of the way. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, cheese, bacon, grated onion and seasonings. Once crust is almost done, remove it from oven and pour egg mixture into the crust. Lower heat to 350 degrees F. Bake quiche for 35-40 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven and let cook to room temp before eating.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

This may be the easiest appetizer to make and usually the first one gone at any party. Considering it's only 5 ingredients, you can't really mess this up.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2 lbs Baby Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 package Jimmy Dean country mild pork sausage
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 TBSP sliced green onions

Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and remove the stems. Place mushrooms upside down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large saute pan, cook sausage until browned. Add the cream cheese and red pepper flakes and stir until cheese is melted and covers all the sausage. Remove from heat and add the green onions to the mixture. Fill each mushroom cap with about 1 TBSP of sausage mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, Serve hot or room temperature. Makes about 24 stuffed mushrooms.

Honey Thyme Roasted Root Vegetables

Here is yet another new side added to our family's traditions. It's easy and there were no leftovers, and with four boys that is saying something.

Honey Thyme Roasted Root Vegetables

5 whole carrots, peeled and cut into wedges
3 whole parsnips, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 c olive oil
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c honey
2 TBSP fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Peel and prepare root vegetables and place them on a sheet pan. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees F for 25-35 minutes, stirring them every 7 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour on the honey and stir the vegetables until coated. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and cook for the last 7-10 minutes. Taste vegetables to check for seasoning, adding salt or pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temp.

New York Style Cheesecake

This is one of my favorite desserts. It never disappoints. It's always delicious and easy to make. And if you don't like cheesecake, I don't think we can be friends anymore.

New York Style Cheesecake


Crust

1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 c sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Pour butter over the crumbs and mix with a fork until butter coats all the crumbs. Press the buttery crumbs into a springform pan, using a greased glass cup to punch them down into an even layer. Bake crust at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven after ten minutes and let cool slightly before topping it with cheesecake mixture.

4-8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla
3 eggs

Cream together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs and beat until creamy and all ingredients well incorporated. Pour into prepared crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes, or until center is set. Allow cheesecake to cool on counter for 2 hours, then remove springform, refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, and cool for 4-6 hours before eating. Top the cheesecake
 with your favorite fruit, chocolate sauce, salted caramel, hot fudge, etc...

Balsamic Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Over the last few years, our immediate family has decided to start our own Thanksgiving traditions by staying home and cooking everything ourselves. (And by "ourselves", I really mean me.)
With this new tradition, I am able to make and try new foods without getting backlash from family for not following the path of traditional foods. Two years ago, I decided brussel sprouts were the new side to have and I am glad I did. My oldest son cannot get enough of them (and he's the picky one!).
Try this recipe for your next holiday dinner or any weeknight dinner.

Balsamic Bacon Brussel Sprouts


1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts
4 TBSP butter
1/4 c Balsamic vinegar
4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Cut off the dry bottom of each sprout and them cut in half. In a cast iron skillet, or another heavy bottomed sauté pan, add the butter and the brussel sprouts. Saute over medium high heat, until all sides are slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour the Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper over the cooked sprouts and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cooked, chopped bacon and serve warm.