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Sensual Sambuca Cookies!!

Ingredients:
12 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, 1 square = 1 ounce
4 tablespoon(s) margarine or butter, (1/2 stick)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup(s) sambuca, (anise-flavor liqueur)
1 cup(s) sugar
1 cup(s) blanched almonds, finely ground
2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate with margarine or butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat; cool chocolate mixture slightly.
In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix eggs, sambuca, and 1/2 cup sugar; blend in chocolate mixture.
With spoon, stir ground almonds, flour, and baking soda into chocolate mixture until combined (dough will be very soft). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with remaining 1/2 cup sugar. With lightly floured hands, roll dough by rounded tablespoons into balls. Roll balls in sugar mixture to coat. Place balls, about 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are just set and look puffed and cracked. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet 1 minute to cool slightly. With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar mixture.

Damn Delicious Dreamsicle Cookies

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons orange powdered drink mix, such as Tang
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
3 tablespoons powdered orange flavored drink mix, such as Tang
1 cup confectioners' sugar
water or milk

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Cream the shortening and the sugar together until light. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well. Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Add the buttermilk mixture, salt, 3 tablespoons Tang, flour and baking powder to the shortening mixture. Mix well. Stir in the white chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Frost cookies while still hot with Tang Glaze.

To Make Tang Glaze: Combine the butter, 3 tablespoons Tang, confectioners sugar plus enough water or milk to reach a thick yet still pourable consistency and beat until smooth.

Drool for these Drop Cookies!

Pumpkin Cookies
Makes about 60
1 cup oil
3 cups sugar
2 eggs -- beaten
3 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 29-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Beat oil and sugar in mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together. Add to sugar mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Manly Meatloaf!


1 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Kraft original barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin, 10% fat
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
dash garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until it begins to bubble, stirring often, then remove it from the heat.

In a large bowl, add all but 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce to the meat. Use a large wooden spoon or your hands to work the sauce into the meat until it is very well combined.

Combine the remaining ingredients with the ground sirloin; flour, salt, onion powder and ground pepper. Use the wooden spoon or your hands to work the spices and flour into the meat. Load the meat into a loaf pan.

Wrap foil over the pan and place it into the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take the meatloaf from the oven, remove the foil and drain the fat. Using a knife, slice the meatloaf all the way through into 8 slices while it is still in the pan. This will help to cook the center of the meatloaf. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of sauce over the top of the meatloaf, in a stream down the center. Don't spread the sauce.

Place the meatloaf back into the oven, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until it is done. Remove and allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Salvadoran Crazy Corn (Elote Loco)

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup (optional)
12 ears corn in husks
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated queso blanco (5 1/2 oz) or Parmigiano-Reggiano


Prepare grill for indirect-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); (Or you can boil it if you want)

Stir together mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup (if using).

Pull back husk of each ear of corn, leaving it attached (like a handle), and tie back with a strip of husk. Discard silk.

Arrange corn on grill with cobs over coals (or over medium-high heat for gas) and husks over area with no coals (or over turned-off burner for gas).

Grill, in batches if necessary, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, until ears are well-browned and tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve corn brushed with mustard mixture and sprinkled with cheese.

Budin De Pasas
(Bread pudding with raisins)

1/2 pound bread
2 cups milk
2 cups cream of coconut
4 egg beaten
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup raisins soaked in 3 tablespoons rum
3 tablespoons flour

Cut bread in small pieces and dump on water just to cover.
Let stand 10 minutes then grind and add milk and cream of coconut.
With a hand blender mix cream, milk and bread then add remaining ingredients.
Pour into a well greased mold and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Add Ice Cream and its GREAT!!!!

Chocobanana

2 cups of Milk chocolate or dark chocolate morsels
6 bananas
wooden kebab skewers


1. Peel the bananas and insert one skewer in each. Place them on a tray and put it in the freezer.

2. Once the bananas are frozen start melting the chocolate. In a double boiler add the 2 cups of chocolate and stir until it’s melt.

3. Take the bananas one by one from the freezer and dip them into the chocolate, covering the whole banana.

4.Place the chocolate covered bananas back into the freezer for another 10 minutes and then they are ready to eat! YUM!

In Step 3, after covering chocolate If u want to add nuts/sprinkles/ or any other topic u want to try...

U can also switfh any type/color of chocolate!!!

Horchata Drink

1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 (1/2-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 cup blanched, sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
4 cups water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 (2-inch-long) strip lime zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice


Pulverize rice and cinnamon in a spice grinder in batches until the mixture resembles a fine powder. Place in a 2-quart container with a tightfitting lid. Next, pulverize almonds in the spice grinder until finely ground but not a paste. Add almond powder to rice-cinnamon mixture, pour in water, and stir to combine. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours.
Add sugar and zest to mixture and, using a blender, blend in batches on high until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Using a rubber spatula, press on solids to extract all liquid, then discard solids.
Stir lime juice into horchata, then transfer to a pitcher and chill in the refrigerator. Serve over ice.

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 lb. sausage, a combo of hot and sweet, cut into bite-size pieces
2 to 2 1/2 lbs. chicken, cut into 12 small pieces, bone in
2 large bell peppers, red, green or yellow, cored, seeded, and cut, lengthwise, into 1/4-inch strips
1 large yellow onion, cut, lengthwise, into 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup halved Vinegared Hot Cherry Peppers (recipe follows)
1/2 cup Vinegared Sweet Bell Peppers (recipe follows)
1/2 cup vinegar from Vinegared Sweet Bell Peppers
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper (to taste)

Heat oil in a large deep saute pan over medium high heat. Saute sausage for about 8 minutes until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove them and set aside.

Reheat oil, pat chicken dry and saute chicken for about 15 minutes until cooked through.

Stir in bell peppers, onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft and beginning to brown.

Drain off all excess oil and return sausage to pan. Add wine and chicken stock to chicken, sausage and vegetables and bring to a boil. Stir in Hot and Sweet Vinegared Peppers, vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper. Again, bring to a boil. Lower heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until flavors have all combined and sauce has reduced. Remove from heat and serve.

Thumb print cookies


Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 egg yolks
* 3 cups sifted flour, or more
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* strawberry or raspberry jam

Cream butter and sugar together.
Add egg yolks, flour and vanilla; mix well.
If dough is too soft to handle, work in little more flour. Roll dough into little balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Make a thumb print in the center of each.
Fill thumbprint with your favorite jam.
Bake a small first batch, and if the cookies in the first batch spreads too much, work a little more flour into the dough. (This step is really important)
Bake at 400° for 8 to 10 minutes, until light brown around edges

Sassy Linzer tarts

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose Flour
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 Tea spoon of baking powder
1 Tea spoon. of Vanilla
1 cup of softened butter
1 cup of confectioners sugar
1 (8 oz) Jar of Raspberry Preserves

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. In another bowl combine flour and baking powder. Add egg and vanilla to mixture of butter and sugar. Then add flour mixture, little bit at a time, until well mixed: cover and chill for 2 hours. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with 3 inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 6-10 ins or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool completely. Spoon jam in between cookies and then sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Arroz Con Dulce (Sweet Rice Pudding)

*This is a dessert I typically eat during the holidays. Its a bit more firm than typical rice pudding and holds its shape.

4 cups of uncooked medium grain rice
1 piece of ginger (about 1 inch)
1 and 1/2 tablespoons of butter
3 cups of water
1 can of evaporated milk (12 oz.)
1 and 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 and 1/2 cup raisins
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 a lemon peel
1 can of coconut milk (13.5 oz.)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
1 can of cream of coconut (15 oz.)
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
ground cinnamon

1. Soak rice in cold water 6-8 hours before using.
2. Drain water, and place rice in a large pot with cinnamon stick, ginger, butter and lemon peel. Also, add the can of coconut milk and 3 cups of water. This mixture should just barely cover rice. Place on medium heat stirring constantly until rice is 3/4 of the way cooked.
3. In a separate bowl. combine condensed milk, cream of coconut, evaporated milk and brown sugar.
4. When rice is 3/4 of the way cooked, add sweet bowl mixture to the rice mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, and stir constantly (about 20 minutes more).
5. Add vanilla and raisins the last 10 minutes of cooking. Raisins will plump up slightly.
6. Once completed, turn off heat and remove the ginger, lemon peel and cinnamon stick. The texture will be gooey and sticky. Leave in pot to cool down slightly (about 1/2 hour). Transfer to a 13 x 9 x dish and leave on counter for another hour. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and transfer to refrigerator for at least 2 hours before eating.

The Best PB&J Sandwich

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
Jelly (I prefer grape)


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl sift to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter, and sugars until smooth.
4. Add in egg and vanilla.
5. Combine flour mixture with peanut butter mixture, scrapping the sides of the bowl to ensure batter is well blended.
6. Cover bowl with plastic and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
7. Drop a tsp of batter (I like to make them bigger) 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Using a fork, make crisscross pattern flattening cookies slightly.
9. Bake for 7-10 minutes per your oven.
10. Let cool for 15 minutes, and place half a tbsp of jelly in between 2 cookies.
11. Enjoy!

Chocoflan

Ingredients
12-cup capacity Bundt pan
Softened butter, to coat pan
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce
For the cake:
10 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the flan:
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For garnish:
1/4 cup cajeta or caramel sauce
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Coat a Bundt pan with a little butter, then coat the bottom with 1/4 cup cajeta and put it in a large roasting pan. (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking.)

For the cake: Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa in a medium bowl. Beat 1/3 of the flour mixture, and 1/2 of the buttermilk into the egg mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Blend until well incorporated.

For the flan: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds.

Scoop the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spreading evenly. Slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Cover with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.

Carefully slide the pan into the oven, and bake 1 hour, until the surface of the cake is firm to the touch, or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When cake is done, remove from the water bath and cool completely to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Invert a large, rimmed serving platter over the Bundt pan, grasp tightly together, jiggle a little and flip over. Remove the pan and scrape any remaining cajeta from the pan onto the cake, garnish with chopped pecans and serve!

Notes: The batters may appear to mix when you pour them into the pan, but they completely separate while baking, with the flan ending up on the bottom when it's inverted. Eating it warm is great, but traditionally, it is chilled 24 hours before serving.

Cajeta is a thick and creamy spread or paste made with caramelized sugar and milk. It is used as a desert on its own or as a topping. Also known as 'dulce de leche,' it is sold in many supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online. It can be substituted with a thick caramel sauce.