Best Ever Blueberry Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

For the Blueberry Filling
. 6 cups (30 ounces or 850 grams) fresh blueberries, sorted, rinsed and dried
. 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
. 2 teaspoons (4 grams) freshly grated lemon zest
. 3 tablespoons (22.5 grams) all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal®

For the Buttery Biscuit Crumble Topping
. 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons (157.5 grams) all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal®
. 6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
. 1½ teaspoons (7.2 grams) baking powder
. ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
. 6 tablespoons (¾ stick or 84.75 grams) unsalted butter, chilled & cut into bits
. 1 large egg (mine weighed 52 grams w/o shell), slightly beaten
. 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
. 1 tablespoon (12.5 grams) granulated sugar
. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
. ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg, optional

Preparation:

1. Arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly butter 10-inch round quiche plate, pie plate or 2-quart baking dish. I like to use my 10-inch round French White Corningware® Quiche/Pie Plate.

2.Prepare the Blueberry Filling: Place blueberries into prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. (I like to work the zest into the sugar with my fingers to release the essential oils for maximum flavor.) Add the flour and whisk until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle mixture evenly over berries in prepared baking dish and toss gently. Make sure the sugar and flour mixture is evenly distributed over the fruit with no mounding in the center or in any one place. This will ensure the sugar will caramelize and the flour will thicken evenly throughout the cobbler with the berry juices. Set aside.

3. Prepare the Buttery Biscuit Crumble Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal with small pea-sized pieces of butter. In a small bowl, whisk vanilla into beaten egg using a fork. With a fork, gently toss beaten egg and vanilla into flour mixture until moistened and dough starts to hold together. Continue to toss and blend gently with fingertips until well combined yet taking care not to overwork the dough.

4. Assemble the Cobbler: Sprinkle biscuit crumble topping evenly over fruit filling. Sprinkle biscuit crumble topping with sugar and, if desired, dust with freshly grated nutmeg. Alternatively, dust with cinnamon-sugar combining sugar and cinnamon before sprinkling over topping. If desired, dust freshly grated nutmeg over cinnamon-sugar.

5. Bake the Cobbler: Bake in preheated oven until topping is golden brown and filling is cooked through and bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. To prevent over-browning of topping, cover with sheet of aluminum foil after 25 minutes of baking. Remove foil and carefully transfer to wire rack to cool.

6. Serve the Cobbler: Serve cobbler warm a la mode or with fresh whipped cream…or both!

SKINNY HONEY LEMON CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

. 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless (raw) chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
. 3 tablespoons soy sauce (if making this gluten-free, be sure to use GF soy sauce)
. 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
. salt and pepper
. 1 tablespoon olive oil
. Honey Lemon Sauce (see below)
. optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, thinly-sliced green onions, extra lemon zest, lemon slices

HONEY LEMON SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

. 3/4 cup chicken stock
. 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
. 3 tablespoons honey (or more/less to taste)
. 2 tablespoons cornstarch
. zest of 1 lemon
. pinch of ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the chicken, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to a large ziplock bag, and toss until the chicken is evenly coated.  Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, drain and transfer it to a separate plate.  Season the chicken on both sides with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper.  And in a separate bowl, whisk the honey lemon sauce ingredients together until combined.

3. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and saute for 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked through and no longer pink inside, stirring and turning the chicken occasionally for even cooking.  Transfer the chicken to a separate (clean) plate with a slotted spoon.

4. Pour the (whisked) marinade into the empty saute pan.  Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a low boil and thickens.  Add in some sriracha if you would like for extra heat, to taste.  (Feel free to also season with extra salt and pepper, or extra honey or lemon.)

Chocolate Lava Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Ganache
. 100 g dark chocolate
. 120 g cream
. Boil the cream and melt in the chopped chocolate, whisk until smooth. Pour into small round mould icecube tray and keep frozen.
. Cake
. 180 g dark chocolate
. 60 g butter clarified
. 60 ml vegetable oil
. 60 g sugar
. 300 g eggs
. 50 g flour

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Melt the chocolate.

3. Stir in the melted clarified butter and the vegetable oil.

4. Mix the sugar with eggs and flour.

5. Combine the eggs mixture with the chocolate mixture.

6. Pour the batter into the cake mould, only half, push into the chocolate cake filling the frozen ganache ball and complete the cake mould with chocolate cake filling.

7. Bake for about 7/8 minutes. (need to check temperature and cooking time according with mould size and oven).

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

. 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
. 1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
. 1/2 stick Butter
. 3 whole Lemons, Juiced
. 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
. 1/4 cup Half-and-half
. 1-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
. Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
. 20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Preparation Instructions:

1. Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

2. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

3. Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

INGREDIENTS:

. Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
. 1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
. 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
. 1 cup brown sugar
. 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
. 1 egg
. 1 egg yolk
. 1 tbs vanilla
. 1 cup + 2 tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips,divided
Ganache Frosting
. 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
. 4 oz heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Before beginning, you will need to prepare the ganache frosting since it has to set up before whipping. Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl, set aside. Heat heavy cream on a stove top or in microwave until very, very hot - not boiling. Pour cream over chocolate chips and let it sit for 3 minutes without stirring or disturbing. Start whisking chocolate from center-outward until everything is completely smooth and combined. Chocolate sauce should have a smooth velvety texture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place mixture in refrigerator for up to 2 hours coming back every 30 minutes to stir. While mixture is cooling, start on the cookie cake.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" springform or regular round cake pan with cooking spray. Optional - cut out a piece of parchment paper and place it on the bottom of pan for easier removal. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter and mix until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Pour in pudding mix, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt and stir until just incorporated. Don't over mix. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed.

4. Press dough into prepared pan until even and level. Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips into the top of the cookie cake and press down slightly. Bake for 21-24 minutes or until the top/center just starts to golden slightly. Cookie cake my look underdone in the middle, but it will set up when it cools and stay extra soft. Allow cookie cake to cool completely in pan.

5. Once cookie cake is completely cool, finish preparing frosting. Ganache is ready when texture is firm but still soft and spoonable. Using hand beaters (for ease), whip frosting for 3 minutes on high speed until slightly lighter in color and smooth. Spoon frosting into a piping bag using a open star tip and pipe around the edges. Alternately, you can use a zip top bag with the corner cut off or just spread with a knife.

Cookie cake will stay soft and fresh for up to one week stored in an airtight container.

Easy Lemon Cream Cheese Bars

INGREDIENTS:

 . cooking spray
 . 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent roll dough (such as Pillsbury® Recipe Creations®), divided
 . 2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
 . 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
 . 1/2 cup white sugar
 . 2 tablespoons butter, melted
 . 3 tablespoons white sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.Press 1 can crescent roll dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, stretching to the edges.

3. Mix the zest of 1 1/2 lemons and juice from 2 lemons together in a bowl. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar into lemon zest mixture using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; spread over crescent roll dough layer.

4. Unroll the second can of crescent roll dough and layer over cream cheese mixture, gently stretching dough to the edges. Brush melted butter over crescent roll dough layer. Mix remaining lemon zest and 3 tablespoons sugar together in a bowl; sprinkle over butter.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Lift dessert from baking dish using foil; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares, leaving on foil. Return dessert to the baking dish and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich

INGREDIENTS:

. Pre-made cookie dough (I used Pillsbury)
. ½ gallon of Ice Cream (I used chocolate chip cookie dough)
. Toppings of your choice!
. You could use, Oreo's, sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&M's, peanuts, coconut, candy, fruity pebbles, or anything your kids would like!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bake cookies according to package, or you could make your own chocolate chip cookies if you prefer.

2. Let cookies cool completely before putting ice cream on them, or the ice cream will melt.

3. Place a scoop of ice cream on a cookie, and sandwich it with another cookie.

4. Roll in your favorite topping and freeze until ready to eat!