Crock Pot Apricot Pineapple Stuffing and Chicken

Easy crock pot meal for the family...  Serves 4, or double it to serve 8 like I did when the whole family was on vacation together!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, divided in halves
• 1 box of cornbread stuffing mix
• 4 boneless, skinless ckicken breasts
• 6-8 oz. jar of apricot pineapple preserves (I usually find these at Walmart, Great Value brand. Otherwise just apricot is fine)
• 8 oz can of pineapple tidbits, drained

In a mixing bowl, make stuffing with 1/2 stick of the butter and the amount of water called for on box. Place chicken on bottom of slow cooker.  Spoon stuffing over top of chicken.  Melt remaining 1/2 stick of butter with the preserves in microwave or on stove top and stir, then stir in pineapples.  Pour over chicken and stuffing.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 31/2 hours.

Pumpkin Spiced Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Has anyone guessed yet that I love cookies... particularly anything with chocolate chips in it??  These are very fall-ish tasting, pumpkin spiced and chocolately and oh so soft in the middle.  This recipe made 16 big cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
2 TBS pumpkin pie spice
1 TBS vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine the butter, sugar and egg in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.  

Add in honey, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla and beat o medium speed until smooth.

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.  Add in chocolate chips and mix with wooden spoon to combine.

 Using a medium cookie scoop drop cookies on baking sheets 2 inches apart.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Original recipe said warm dough will result in thin flat cookies...

Remove from refrigerator and allow to sit while you preheat oven to 350.  Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are set.

Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

One of our favorite things from Trader Joe's is the Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli.  I literally stocked up an entire shelf of my freezer at the end of fall last year because I didn't want to be without them all year!  The first few times we ate them we had an alfredo sauce with them, which was good, but then I discovered this Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce recipe and we absolutely LOVE it.  It's such a wonderful and different combination of flavors!  I want to try this with other pastas as well, I'm sure it would work well with butternut squash ravioli or even cheese ravioli/ tortellini.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin Ravioli or any kind of pasta you want
• 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 2 1/2 TBS light butter spread
• salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 TBS good quality balsamic vinegar
• Freshly grated parmesan reggiano or another cheese you like

Heat oven to 350.
Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.  Give them a shake or stir every few minutes to prevent burning.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, then add hazelnuts and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Watch for the butter to turn a golden brown, but don't let it burn.  Once this happens take pan off heat and salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Make pasta according to package directions.

Stir cooked pasta in with butter sauce...

Glaze with balsamic vinegar....

Top with cheese to serve.

Monica's Tangy Guacamole

This recipe is from my Aunt Monica and it's always delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 ripe avocados, mashed
• juice from 3 small limes
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ground pepper to taste
• chopped parsley optional

Mix all ingredients together at least a half hour before you want to eat this and refrigerate.  If you keep the avocado pit in the middle it helps the guacamole not to brown in the fridge.  

Enjoy with chips or on burritos or quesadillas... any way you want!

Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I bought almond flour at Trader Joe's a while ago and kept meaning to find a recipe and make something with it, but honestly I was afraid of how it would turn out.  Then last weekend I found out that a friend coming over to my house was gluten free, so it gave me the motivation to try this recipe so she wouldn't be left out when the cookies were served.  It turned out better than I ever imagined!  These cookies are delicious beyond belief!  Very moist with a wonderful combination of flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (heaping) coarse salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  

Whisk together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Baker's tip:  If you don't like the flavor of coconut don't use coconut oil as you do taste it in these cookies.  I love it and it makes this cookie all the more wonderful in my opinion!

In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips. 

Now add the 2 eggs to the liquid mixture and whisk to combine (waiting to add these insures the melted oil or butter is completely cooled and you don't scramble your eggs!).

Combine wet and dry ingredients. 

Using a cookie scoop drop onto cookie sheets and bake for 10-13 minutes.  I did 12 minutes but ovens vary.

Makes 30 cookies.  Best kept refrigerated. 

They were a huge hit with my gluten free friend and EVERYONE else who's tried them!  I'm getting requests to make more already!