Springy Shells

Adapted from: Pioneer Woman Cooks

16 ounces medium pasta shells (or other short pasta)
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (avoid tough parts)
1/2 pound broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 pound zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini), diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 green onions, sliced (white and light green parts)
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 to 22 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Extra olive oil, for drizzling

Cook pasta until extremely al dente—with still quite a bit of bite.
Melt butter with the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat, then add in the garlic.
Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle in a little salt. Add the broccoli and cook for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for one or two more minutes. Add the frozen peas, stir together, then turn off the heat. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.
To assemble, butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add half the pasta, then spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the surface. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmesan over the ricotta, then 1/2 of the vegetables. Repeat with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the ricotta, and another 1/3 of the Parmesan. End with the rest of the vegetables and the rest of the Parmesan.
Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons olive oil, then bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees or until nice and hot.

Serve with extra Parmesan, and some crusty French bread

Rhubarb-Cherry Jam

6 cups Rhubarb cut up
4 cups White sugar
1 Can Cherry Pie filling*
1 3 oz Cherry Jello*

-Mix Rhubarb and sugar-let stand overnight or for several hours. Boil Mixture for 10 minutes and add Pie filling then bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and add Jello and stir until dissolved. Put into sterilized jars and seal.

*You can use any pie filling you want just add flavored Jello to match to get different flavored Jam.

Macaroni and Cheese

Adapted from: Clark Wolf

1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Cups Milk
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
12 Ounces grated extra sharp aged White Cheddar (Or just use Sharp Cheddar)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Hot Pepper sauce
8 Ounces Corkscrew Pasta
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese

*Heat oven to 400
*In a large saucepan, cook the onion in the butter over low heat until the onion is soft but not browned. (about 7 minutes) Stir in the flour. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken. (about 10 minutes) Remove from the heat, stir the mustard and 2 1/2 cups of the cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot pepper sauce.
*Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain but do not rinse. Stir immediately into the cheese sauce until well blended.
*Spoon the mixture into and 11x7 baking pan or oval gratin dish. Top with remaining Cheddar and the Parmesan. Bake until the mixture is bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes.

*Optional:Sprinkle crushed croutons on last 10-15 minutes of baking time

Cauliflower Soup

Adapted From: Pioneer Woman Cooks

Cauliflower Soup
1 stick butter

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 to 2 heads cauliflower, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried parsley

2 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth or stock

2 cups whole milk

6 tablespoons flour

1 cup half & half

2 to 4 teaspoons salt, to taste

1 generous cup sour cream, at room temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an addition couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half & half.
Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Serve immediately. *you can sprinkle with a little cheddar cheese on top

Frozen Yogurt Pops

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or cherries) thawed in the microwave for 1 minute
1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

*Combine the yogurt, fruit, and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for at least 2 hours. If you are just using little freezer cups make sure to buy the Popsicle sticks and center before freezing.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies

Adapted From: Bakingbites.com

Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Adapted From: Elinor Klivans (author) & Kirsten Strecker (photographer)



Crust
1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended. Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.

For chocolate topping, melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Tip: put the chocolate chips into a zipper bag and heat on 50% power for a few minutes. Cut the corner off the bag and squeeze the bag to make drizzling less messy). Use a teaspoon to drizzle chocolate over top of bars. Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour. (Stick the bars in the freezer for 5 minutes to set quickly if you're in a hurry).

Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars (clean the knife after each cut) and serve.