Family-Favorite Macaroni and Cheese by Shannon DiGiacomo

Ingredients

12 oz GF Pasta (I used Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta)

1/4cup butter 

1/4cup Bob's Red Mill AP Flour mix

1/2teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/4teaspoon garlic powder

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup chopped peppers

2cups milk

18 oz cheese (I used pepper jack & white cheddar)

2 tbsp toasted sesame seed
chipotle chili powder to taste

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350ºF.
• 2 Cook macaroni as directed on package.
• 3 While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constanly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.
• 4 Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.  Top with sesame seeds and chipotle chili powder.   Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies by Shannon DiGiacomo

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/4cup butter, softened (not melted)

1teaspoon vanilla

1egg

1box (19 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free chocolate chip cookie mix

1/2cup raisins, if desired

1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon

Powdered sugar, if desired

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets with shortening.
• 2 In large bowl, stir pumpkin, butter, vanilla and egg until blended. Stir in cookie mix, raisins and cinnamon until soft dough forms. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• 3 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when lightly touched in center and edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pumpkin Cookie Recipe by Suzanne Teke

For the cookie cakes

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup molasses

1 large egg

1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup whole milk

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

For the cream cheese filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

¾ teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (about ½ orange)

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.        Position a rack in the center of your oven.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.       To make the cookie cakes: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the brown and white sugars on low speed to get rid of any lumps.  Add the butter, and beat together until light and fluffy, 1 to 1 ½ minutes.  Add the molasses and egg, and mix to combine.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the pumpkin puree and mix to combine.

3.       In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

4.       Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Blend thoroughly, but do not overbeat.

5.      Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cookies comes out clean.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.  Do not underbake.

6.       To make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, zest and vanilla.  Start mixing on low speed and then continue on medium speed until just fluffy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not overbeat.

7.       To complete the cookie cakes: Turn half of the cookies upside down onto a freshly lined cookie sheet.

8.       Using a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round pastry tip (Ateco #801 or use a resealable plastic bag with a corner cut off or a teaspoon), pipe or place about 1 teaspoon of filling onto each upside-down cookie cake.  Place the remaining cookie cake halves (right side up!) on top.  I skipped the pastry bag and just spread with a small spatula.  Be careful though as the cookies have the texture of cake and might fall apart if not handled gently.

9.       Refrigerate briefly until set, 15 to 20 minutes.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Keep the cookie cakes refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Pizza Dip with French Bread Crisps by Katelyn Fischer

Pizza Dip with French Bread Crisps

Pizza Dip

8 oz. cream cheese - softened

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/2 grated parmesan

1 cup pizza sauce (or your favorite jarred pasta sauce)

2 oz. sliced pepperoni 

1. Preheat over to 350. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat in oil 6-8 minutes. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, basil, and sautéed onions and garlic. 

3. Spread cream cheese mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parmesan over the cream cheese mixture.

4. Top with the pizza sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the sauce and top with pepperoni. 

5. Bake in preheated over for 20 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

French Bread Crisps

1 loaf of french bread 

melted butter or olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Slice the french bread diagonally (and depending on what size you want your crisps, cut slices in half or quarters). 

3. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the bread with melted butter or olive oil. 

4. Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars by Suzanne Teke

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Dirty Shirley Temple by Kristen Secrist

Dirty Shirley Temple

1 oz vodka
5 - 6 oz Sprite
1 dash grenadine syrup

Cherries

Dorito Chicken by Shannon DiGiacomo

• 1 cup crushed spicy doritos
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk (I use 1 or 2 %)
• 8 to 10 ounces chicken tenderloin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Put crushed chips in a shallow bowl.
3. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk until combined.
4. Dip chicken breasts in milk mixture and then dip in chips, coating the chicken. Place on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray tops with cooking spray.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.