Ingredients Needed:

• salted butter
• light brown sugar
• vanilla extract
• all purpose flour
• canned sweetened condensed milk
• miniature chocolate chips
• chocolate (almond) bark
• sprinkles, for topping (optional)

How to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and brown sugar. Add the vanilla. Beat in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until it is incorporated and you no longer see chunks of brown sugar (if you spot any, just squish them). Beat in the sweetened condensed milk and mix until well-combined. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
2. Cover the bowl of cookie dough and refrigerate until the dough is firm (at least 1 hour- maybe more… you want the dough to be quite firm). Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls, roll into balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Place all of the rolled balls back into the refrigerator until you are ready to dip them in chocolate.
3. Melt the chocolate bark in a glass bowl- easiest to do in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each heating time, until smooth. Use a spoon to help you dip the chilled dough ball into the chocolate and roll it around to cover all sides. Place it on a waxed paper-lined platter. Sprinkle with any desired toppings. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. They’ll begin to set pretty quickly. Keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:

• Baileys Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
• Kahlua Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
• One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients Needed:

• milk
• eggs
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• unsalted butter
• white bread
• turkey
• ham
• Swiss cheese
• powdered sugar
• red currant jelly

How to make a Monte Cristo:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk together the milk and eggs. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. For each sandwich, lightly butter 3 slices of bread on both sides (using 1 tablespoon of butter). Place two slices each of turkey and ham between 2 slices of bread. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, and then top with the third slice of buttered bread. Trim the crusts off, secure with toothpicks, and cut in half on the diagonal.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Dip the sandwich halves in the milk mixture to coat. When the butter foams, place the sandwiches in the skillet and fry until golden brown on the bottom (about 2 minutes). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, turn the sandwiches, and fry until browned on the other side (about 2 minutes more). 

Favorite Sandwich Recipes:

• Grilled Eggplant Open-Faced Sandwiches
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
• Fresh Veggie Sandwich
• Salmon BLT Sandwiches
• Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients Needed:

• quinoa
• lemon
• crumbled feta cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• dried oregano
• romaine lettuce
• canned chickpeas
• mini sweet peppers
• cucumber
• roasted red pepper
• kalamata olives
• red onion
• pita chips

How to make Greek Quinoa Chopped Salad:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water and quinoa to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Spread the quinoa on a large baking sheet to cool.
2. Meanwhile, for the dressing, remove 2 teaspoons of zest and squeeze ¼ cup of juice from the lemon. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, cheese, oil, salt and oregano until combined.
3. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, chickpeas, sweet peppers, cucumber, roasted peppers, olives and red onion. Add half the dressing; toss to coat. Return the quinoa to the saucepan and drizzle with the remaining dressing; toss to coat. Combine the quinoa with the romaine mixture and top with crushed pita chips. Drizzle with additional oil, if desired.

Favorite Recipes Using Quinoa:

• Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
• Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Bake
• Roasted Vegetable Quinoa
• Roasted Chickpea Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Ingredients Needed:

• white sandwich bread
• unsalted butter
• fresh parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• onion
• garlic
• cayenne pepper
• all purpose flour
• low sodium chicken broth
• heavy whipping cream
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• white rice
• frozen peas and carrots
• sharp cheddar cheese
• freshly squeezed lemon juice

How to make Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

MAKE THE TOASTED BREAD CRUMB TOPPING:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300°F.
2. Pulse the bread and butter in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 6 pulses. Spread the crumbs out over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and dry, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Let the crumbs cool, then toss with the parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste.

MAKE THE CASSEROLE:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat the oven to 400°F. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and hot throughout, about 1 hour. Remove foil and continue to bake until the crumbs are crisp, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream.
3. Add chicken breasts, partially cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover completely, and cook until the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 160°F. on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Stir the rice into the pot, cover and continue to cook over low heat, stirring often, until the rice has absorbed much of the liquid and is just tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite sized pieces.
6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded chicken, peas and carrots, cheddar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb topping.

Favorite Casserole Recipes:

• Easy Tater Tot Casserole
• Tex Mex Black Eyed Pea Casserole
• Easy Seafood Casserole
• Easy Taco Casserole
• Beef Burrito Casserole

Ingredients Needed:

• sweet potatoes
• vegetable broth
• cauliflower florets
• onion
• carrot
• garlic
• ground coriander, cumin, ginger and cayenne pepper
• canned unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
• fresh cilantro

How to make Instant Pot Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Soup:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. Combine the first 10 ingredients (through cayenne pepper) in a 6-quart Instant Pot. Cover the cooker with the lid, and lock the lid in place. Turn the steam release handle to the SEALING position. Select the MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK setting. Select HIGH pressure for 6 minutes.
2. Let the pressure release naturally 15 minutes. Then carefully turn the steam release handle to the VENTING position, and let any additional steam fully escape (the float valve will drop). Remove the lid from the cooker. If desired, reserve a few vegetable pieces for garnish. Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the remaining soup mixture until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk. If desired, garnish with the reserved vegetables and cilantro.

Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes:

• Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
• Instant Pot Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Best Instant Pot Pulled Pork
• Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients Needed:

• vegetable or canola oil
• shallots
• cremini or button mushrooms
• carrots
• skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• dry white wine
• heavy whipping cream
• fresh thyme
• all purpose flour
• butter
• Puff Pastry

How to make Coq au Vin Pot Pie:

The complete recipe is at the end of this post.

1. Preheat the oven to 400℉.
2. In a 3 to 4-quart pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-heat. Add the shallot, mushrooms and carrots. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender and fragrant. Remove from the pot to a bowl, and set aside.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to boiling; reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the shallot mixture, the ¼ cup of cream, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and butter to make a smooth paste. Stir the flour mixture into the chicken mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
5. Pour the chicken mixture into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Unroll the pastry sheet onto a work surface. Cut the sheet into irregular pieces. Arrange the pieces over the chicken mixture, overlapping as needed. Brush with additional cream. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead:

Prep the filling for this recipe ahead of time through step 4. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Then continue with the recipe, bake and serve!

Classic French Recipes:

• Chicken Fricassee
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Dauphinoise Potatoes
• Salad Nicoise
• Ratatouille

This delicious recipe come from a new book by Hillary Munro: Alpenglow- Outdoor Celebrations for Every Season. From the book: Alpenglow is the magic hour when the sky turns shades of pink and orange not found on a color wheel, an experience that happens often in the mountains, regardless of the season, that fills your soul with a moment of joy.

From Amazon: Alpenglow is filled with creative parties and fun country activities throughout the four seasons. The stories and scenes are set in the high mountain valley of Jackson Hole, Wyoming―but the gatherings and parties could take place anywhere. Hillary Munro knows how to turn routine activities and yearly rituals into unique events, with delicious meals and take-home favors prepared with foods she grows and preserves and materials she forages in the woods.

It’s a beautiful book with some delicious, unique recipes to try!

Ingredients Needed:

• garlic
• dry white wine
• Gruyere cheese
• Emmentaler cheese
• cornstarch
• freshly squeezed lemon juice
• nutmeg

How to make Classic Swiss Fondue:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. Rub the inside of a fondue pot, small crock or cast iron skillet with the garlic clove.
2. Warm the wine in the pot. Add the cheeses, cornstarch and lemon juice. Cook over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, until the cheeses begin to melt, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add nutmeg and cook, stirring gently, for another 3 minutes. Serve with bread, salami, pears and apples.

Best Classic Recipes:

• Classic Bread Pudding
• Classic Angel Food Cake
• Best Classic Shortbread
• Classic Egg Rolls
• Classic Popovers

Ingredients Needed:

• macadamia nuts
• Worcestershire sauce
• olive oil
• fresh thyme and fresh rosemary
• salt and ground red pepper

How to make Savory Nuts:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread nuts in a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
3. In a small bowl, stir together Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, salt and red pepper. Drizzle oil mixture over nuts; toss to coat.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring occasionally. Spread on foil to cool.
5. To serve, transfer to serving bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Best Nut Appetizers:

• Hot and Spicy Pecans
• Rosemary Maple Cashews
• Slow Cooker Candied Nuts
• Cinnamon Glazed Almonds
• Roasted Blue Cheese Pecans

I have a story about these stuffed mushrooms. I found the recipe in a magazine at a Dr.’s office a couple of years ago. In true RecipeGirl fashion, I tore it out of the magazine and brought it home with me to try. I messed with the recipe a bit. And I served it at a dinner party. Everyone loved them and couldn’t stop talking about them.

I lost the recipe, and then I found it again and made these artichoke stuffed mushrooms for our holiday party last year. I can’t even explain how popular they were. Everyone wanted the recipe. They really are delicious!

Ingredients Needed:

• extra virgin olive oil
• onion
• mushroom
• salt and pepper
• marinated artichoke hearts
• cream cheese
• grated Parmesan cheese
• sour cream
• garlic salt
• fresh parsley

How to make Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a large baking dish with foil, and spray with nonstick spray.
2. In a large skillet over medium-heat, heat the oil and add the onion; cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the artichoke hearts, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, sour cream and garlic salt.
3. Stuff the mushroom caps with the artichoke mixture; arrange in the prepared baking pan. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is hot and bubbly, 17 to 20 minutes. 

Best Artichoke Appetizer Recipes:

• Easy Artichoke Pizza Bites
• Hot Artichoke and Crab Dip
• Baked Artichoke Hearts
• Cheese and Artichoke Bread Bites
• Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients Needed:

• semisweet or dark chocolate chips
• heavy whipping cream
• instant espresso powder
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• salt
• Oreo crust
• chocolate shavings

How to make Easy Chocolate Truffle Pie:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

1. In a microwave-safe dish, combine the chocolate chips and ½ of the cream; cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in the espresso powder, if using. Cool to room temperature. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Set aside.
2. In a medium-bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream until soft peaks form. On high-speed, beat in the chocolate mixture, ⅓ at a time. Spoon the chocolate cream into the crust.
3. Refrigerate overnight (or for at least 8 hours) before serving.
4. Serve topped with a spoonful of whipped cream. Maybe even some chocolate shavings, if you’re feeling fancy!

Best No Bake Pie Recipes:

• No Bake Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
• Snickers Bar Pie
• Pistachio Cheesecake Pie
• No Bake Nutella Pie
• Easy No Bake Berry Pie