Asparagus Gratin

Ingredients:

2 pounds thin asparagus

3 cups water

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat)

¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided

½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Line broiler safe baking dish with paper towels or a lint free kitchen cloth. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus and set both stalks and ends aside.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus ends and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook covered, for 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove asparagus ends and discard. Add asparagus stalks to skillet, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender,2-4 minutes. Transfer asparagus to paper/cloth-lined baking dish. Pour asparagus water into liquid measuring cup. If liquid does not read 1-cup mark, add water until it does.
3. Melt butter in now empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in reserved asparagus water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in ½ cup Parmesan and Monterey jack until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for 5 minuets.
4. Remove paper towels from baking dish. Drizzle sauce over center of asparagus and top with remaining Parmesan. Broil until cheese is golden and asparagus is tender, 4-8 minutes. Serve.

Watermelon Frosty

Watermelon Frosty
serves 2

2 1/4 cups frozen watermelon cubes
1/2+ cup water
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 large lemon, squeezed (lime juice also works very well! use 2 limes)
1 fresh banana

optional: 2 shots of tequila (or sub with more water or fruit juice)
also optional: a few dashes of cayenne powder in the blender or over top when you serve!

Garnish: a few slices of watermelon - with rind on - frozen.

Blend Pour. Garnish with frozen watermelon/rind slices. Serve! Enjoy.

Butterfinger Rice Krispy Treats

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup candy corn
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 package (10 oz) marshmallows
1/2 tsp salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups chocolate chips
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 fun size Butterfingers, crushed

1. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.

2. Melt the candy corn in the microwave in thirty-second intervals. Once melted, stir in peanut butter.

3. In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter. Add marshmallows, stirring until completely melted. Stir in candy corn and peanut butter mixture. Add salt.

4. Gently fold in Rice Krispies. When the cereal is completely coated, transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish, pressing the cereal down firmly into the dish.

5. Melt the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in the microwave in thirty-second intervals. Spread the mixture over the top of the Rice Krispies treats. Sprinkle crushed Butterfingers over the chocolate

Luscious Coconut Cream Dessert

crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans - optional

Mix and pat in an 8x8 inch pan, bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden. Do not over bake.

Layer two:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipped topping

Beat together sugar and cream cheese. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.

Layer three:
1 small package coconut cream instant pudding
1 1/2 cups whole milk (any milk will do, but whole milk makes pudding so much tastier)

Mix until thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture.

Top with remaining tub of whipped topping.

Toast 1 cup coconut. Sprinkle evenly on dessert. Refrigerate

Three Cheese Creamy Baked Rigatoni

Ingredients:
1 lb rigatoni pasta
6 oz Gruyère
6 oz sharp cheddar
8 oz fresh mozzarella
8 oz cremini mushrooms (buttons or baby bellas will work fine, too), sliced.
6 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c flour
2c milk (I used 2%)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
pinch of nutmeg
Basil for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Grate Gruyère and sharp cheddar, then grate or dice fresh mozzarella. Set aside. Boil water and prepare pasta according to directions on package, but undercooking by 3-4 mins.

While the pasta cooks, melt 1 Tbsp butter in an oven-safe skillet. Add 1 clove’s worth of the garlic and stir until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in sliced mushrooms and saute until they begin to release water and shrink, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Drain pasta.

Melt 5 tbsp of butter in the same skillet. Add remaining garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes to create a roux. When golden brown, add milk and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes. Set aside ½ c of grated cheese and half of the fresh mozzarella. Dump remaining cheese into the sauce and stir for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Add cooked pasta and mushrooms and toss thoroughly to coat. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes until top is bubbling and golden brown.

Serve immediately

Sausage, Egg and Biscuits Casserole

1 can buttermilk biscuits any brand
1 lb  any brand of pork sausage
1 c shredded mozzarella
1 c shredded cheddar
6 eggs
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
Bake in 8x8 pan at 425 for 30-35 min. Let sit 5 min.





Directions
Cut biscuits into six to eight pieces place in a grease 8x8 pan, brown sausage on the stove top and drain spread over the cut up biscuits, beat eggs and add milk and salt and pepper to them and pour over sausage and biscuits, sprinkle both shredded cheeses over the top and Bake.

CINNAMON ROLL SWIRL CAKE

CINNAMON ROLL SWIRL CAKE

BATTER:
3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping:
1 cup butter, soft to the point of almost melted*
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except for the butter.
Once mixed; slowly pour in the butter. Stir into batter.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Glaze:
2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

While the cake is warm ~ drizzle the glaze over the cake. *This cake is outta this world!!!!!!*