Saturday 12/17 was our Annual Christmas Cookie bake.  I made Oatmeal Scotcharoo's (Oatmeal cookies with cinnamon and butterscotch chips), Blueberries and cream cookies, and Rolo Toffee mini chocolate chip, Sarah made sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies, and Darlene whipped up some thumbprint jam cookies, Russian tea cakes, and fudge.  Each cookie was amazing!  This was my first year attending pregnant, so I had to take a few breaks in between batches to prop my feet up and rest, but all went well.  My nephew Calvin enjoyed his first year decorating cookies with us too!  Next year baby girl will be a part of the festivities!  David loved the Rolo Toffee mini chip and the blueberries and cream cookies.  We make goodie bags to hand out to friends, co workers, and neighbors.  

The new baby quilt I made for my neighbor Ashley and their new addition baby Ryan!  Her theme is baseball :).  Due September 10! 

I've made several roast recipes, but the Pepper Roast is David's favorite.  I made this recipe yesterday after he and some friends got off a day on the boat and it really hit the spot.  The recipe I found doesn't call for any veggies, so I always add some carrots, celery, onions, and mushrooms.  I didn't have room for potatoes in the slow cooker, so I baked some small ones in the oven along with some butternut squash.  I added these to the bottom of my bowl and poured the roast on top.  The ingredients are too easy: 1 ranch packet, 1 au jus packet, 1 stick of butter, beef broth, & pepperoncini peppers.  I used the pickled pepperoncini's.  The peppers add a hint of flavor, but definitely isn't spicy.  The butter makes the roast tender and juicy.  You should really try this recipe!  I'll add to the Dinner's section.

Last Saturday, we had the opportunity to help our chef friend Robert ( head chef at Nick & Sam's) with a cooking class that he presented at the Dallas Farmer's Market.  We woke up early and headed to the Nick & Sam's kitchen to gather and help prepare the food.  I helped him with the Lobster Mac & Cheese!

After we prepared the food, we headed over to the Dallas Farmer's market to set up.  Robert presented the cooking class for about 70 people.  David and I helped prepare the plates for each course and clean up.  The menu included: Honey glazed lamb rib, wedge salad, shrimp cocktail, lobster mac & cheese, and steak with crab and hollandaise sauce.  

David got to help him finish the hollandaise sauce and warm up the crab during the cooking class! It was a lot of fun!

Tuesday night we had our friend Robert over ( He is the head chef at Nick & Sams in Dallas).  He decided to prepare everyone a 5 star dinner!  We all helped in the kitchen for a fun cooking night.  The menu included Ribeye steak with a mushroom sauce, breaded salmon & tilapia, Brussels sprout and apple stir fry, roasted potatoes, fried chicken sausage stuffed hatch chilies, and brownies.  It was a delicious dinner!

Here are the stuffed hatch chilies.  Robert torched them first, then we rubbed the skins off, stuffed with hot Italian turkey sausage with cream cheese and shredded cheese, dipped in flour, dredged with egg wash and sprinkled with chip/ cracker breading. 

Next we made the Brussel sprout stir fry with apples, apple cider vinegar, Apple juice,sugar, and onions.  Mmmm!!

Here is David and Robert preparing the meal,breadcrumbs for the hatch chilies, roasted potatoes, chicken filling, and Brussels with apples: 

The sauce Robert made was amazing!  It was a mushroom hollandaise with white wine, shiitake mushroom stalk, sour cream, and some hatch chili vinegar.

Breaded fried salmon for me.  I get these at Kroger.  They have tilapia too.  He fried it up in the peanut oil that cooked the steak and hatch chilies which added even more flavor.

The steak was pan seared and placed into the oven.  Then sliced thin and baked until perfection! 

And dinner was served!!!  So delicious! 

My Aunt Sandi told me that she hadn't seen any new recipes on my blog lately, so here you go!  ;)  Earlier this week I made a new Chicken Recipe with a mushroom cream sauce.  David said that this is his new favorite  and that I can make again soon!  Winner!

Here are my ingredients: 

I cut the chicken breasts in half and cooked in a pan with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and set aside to make the sauce: 

Then I made my creamy mushroom basil pesto cream sauce:

I added the bacon into the dish and the chicken with Parmesan and served.  The picture looks ok but trust me it's delicious!  Next time I make it I'll have to upload a better picture.  I'll add the recipe to the dinners section!

Who likes pecan pie?  Then you'll like this healthier alternative that we created!  I've been making nut butters lately and found the perfect recipe for a pecan pie flavor.  You can use pecans or walnuts.  If you don't have a food processor you should definitely ask for one for Christmas!  They are wonderful!  You can make peanut butter, hummus, veggie noodles, cauliflower pizza crust, doughs, etc.  For this recipe I used walnuts, honey, peanut oil, and kosher salt.  I blended / chopped until I had a nut butter consistency. 

 

Then I cut a date in half and added the butter on top!  Oh my gosh.... It taste just like pecan pie!!!  I'll add the recipe in desserts section.