Garlic Pretzels

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb broken pretzels
1 cup canola oil
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch original dry dressing mix
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dill weed
1 tsp lemon pepper

Instructions:

Mix ingredients together in a baking pan. Bake at 300 F for 10 minutes. Stir, and bake for another 5 minutes.

Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Ingredients:

* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 3 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

* 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined.



Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.



Frost the cupcakes.

chicken salad

Ingredients:

4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 stalks celery, diced

Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

When cool, remove and discard skin and bones. Cut the chicken into 3/4 inch dice. Mix with the mayo, tarragon, and celery and check to see if it needs more salt and pepper.

Le Bus Brownies

Ingredients:

1 lb unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1.5 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 325 F. Melt butter in saucepan. Set aside. Combine sugar and cocoa at low speed. Add butter and vanilla in a steady stream until blended. Raise speed to medium for 30 seconds. Beat eggs in one at a time. Continue beating for one minute. In a small bowl, blend flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture and blend briefly until smooth. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips. Blend and spread mixture in a 9 X 12 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 275 F. Bake for another 40 minutes.

Pot of Dirt

Ingredients:

1 large package Oreo cookies
1/2 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
3 1/2 cups milk
2 packages instant French vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 oz) carton Cool Whip
8 inch diameter (at top) new clay pot or plastic pot
Artificial flowers to insert into dessert

Instructions:

Crush the Oreos and set aside. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk and pudding mix, and add to the creamed mixture. Fold in the Cool Whip.

Starting and ending with the crushed Oreos, layer the cookies and pudding mixture, adding gummy worms if desired. Decorate with artificial flowers and freeze. Remove from freezer 30 minutes prior to serving.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks


Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.


2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.


3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.


4. Divide dough into 2-inch balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.


5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 9 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Peach Crumb Pie

1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 lb (8-10) firm, ripe peaches
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 recipe thin butter crust

Crumb topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted since our son has a nut allergy)
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces

Knead the crumb topping ingredients together until crumbly.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with water and lemon juice. Peel and slice the peaches, add to the saucepan and cook to warm through. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg until thickened. Let cool. Turn into a pie shell, cover with the crumb topping. Bake at 400 F until the filling bubbles - about 45 minutes.

Tuna Nicoise Tartine

Take a French baguette or other loaf of good bread and slice on a severe bias in order to end up with thin, 10-inch long slices.

Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil, season with salt and broil until nicely toasted.

Brush the top side of the bread with mayonnaise or aioli (preferably homemade) then top with Bibb lettuce.

On top of that, place a good amount of tuna salad (made using Italian oil-packed tuna that has been drained in a mesh strainer (but not squeezed dry), mayonnaise, chopped cornichon or pickles, capers, salt, pepper and various herbs (parsley, chervil, tarragon, etc.)).

Place a few halved Nicoise olives on top of the tuna salad.

Then top everything with alternating very thin slices of radish and thin slices of hard-boiled eggs.

Season with course sea salt and sliced chives.