8 oz. softened cream cheese

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix until smooth. Divide into 8 equal rounded mounds, about 2 tablespoons each, on a plate lined with parchment paper and place into freezer while making cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 350*. 

Lemon Cookies:

In a medium bowl, add: 

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Rub lemon zest into the sugar with fingers, combining well.

Add: 

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Mix until well combined. May chill or continue with baking.

Divide the cookie dough into 8 equal balls. 

Place one frozen cream cheese ball onto one cookie ball and form cookie dough around the frozen cream cheese ball, making sure the cookie dough is covering the cream cheese. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and cream cheese balls. Place cookies about 3 inches apart as they will spread while baking. Bake on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet(s) at 350* for about 12 minutes, until the cookie dough is just set and the edges are just barely showing a little color. Remove from cookie sheet to a wire cooling rack. 
 

Whisk together:  

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Then add:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Mix well until it forms a sticky dough. Set aside. 

 Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter and place in an 8x8 baking dish or pan. Plop the stick dough mixture into the buttered dish and spread out evenly. You may use a knife to score through the dough to cut into squares ahead of time to help with serving after baking if you'd like. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after inserting into the center of the biscuits.

When done, remove biscuits from the oven and prepare the icing while biscuits are cooling.

In a medium bowl, mix:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons heavy cream

If too thick, add more heavy cream or butter to thin to your liking.

Cut biscuits into serving size pieces and top with icing. Serve warm.  

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

5 large eggs, room temperature 

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350* with an oven rack positioned in the center of the oven. Bring a kettle of water to boil for the water bath and keep it at a boil while you proceed with the recipe. You will need a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan and a larger pan which the round cake pan will fit into with room for the water for the water bath.

To make the caramel, in a small sauce pan place the sugar and 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil over medium high heat without stirring, about 3-5 minutes. Once you see the mixture begin to turn golden, start swirling the mixture in the pan until it's the color of cinnamon, about 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Continue swirling until it turns amber colored, about another 30 seconds. Working quickly, immediately pour melted sugar into the round cake pan, swirling to cover the entire bottom of the pan before it sets up, using oven mitts. Careful, this stuff is like molten lava!  Set the pan aside on a heat proof surface and prepare the custard.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and salt and whisk until thoroughly combined. Carefully pour the custard mixture into the cake pan containing the caramelized sugar. Cover the cake pan with foil, tightly crimping the edges and making sure the foil doesn't touch the custard inside the pan. 

Place the cake pan of custard in the middle of the larger pan and pull out the center rack of your oven. Place the pan on the oven rack and carefully pour the boiling water into the outer pan until the water reaches at least halfway up the sides of the custard pan. Make sure the boiling water doesn't reach the top of the inner pan and get into your custard. Very carefully push in the oven rack, making sure you don't spill the boiling water or splash it under the foil into your custard. 

Bake at 350* for 70-80 minutes. To test to see if it's done, carefully remove the foil and jolt the flan pan. You should see a stiff jiggle in the center. If it seems too liquid/wobbly, replace the foil and bake another 10 minutes. Being very careful with the hot water, remove from the oven, uncover, place on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. There's no easy way to remove the pan from the water bath and I always end up with wet oven mitts and hot pads. Be very careful not to get water into your flan. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight is even better to ensure the flan is fully set. 

To serve, run a knife around the edges of the flan, cleaning your knife periodically. Place a rimmed platter or serving dish, bigger than the cake pan, upside down over the flan. Quickly invert the flan onto the serving dish, holding the edges of both the dish and the cake pan in both hands. If the flan doesn't slide out easily, gently tap the bottom of the cake pan until you feel the flan slide out, then carefully lift the cake pan off the flan. Slice into wedges and serve, spooning caramel sauce over each portion if desired. Garnish with berries, whipped cream or as you please. 

16 oz. frozen broccoli florets

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb. peeled and de-veined shrimp 

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic, more to taste

1 tablespoon flour 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 - 1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

black pepper to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

pinch of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Prepare angel hair, linguini, fettuccine or pasta of your choice as directed on package. Remove from heat and hold in hot cooking water until needed. 

Prepare broccoli florets by steaming in the microwave cooking bag or on the stove top, but only cook till just tender crisp. Set aside.

Saute chicken in a large skillet in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat until lightly browned and just cooked through. Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside. 

Add shrimp to the skillet and saute for 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to skillet. After butter has melted, add flour and stir until combined and bubbly. Add whipping cream and milk, stirring vigorously and scraping pan to prevent sticking. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, adding more milk if needed to get the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in sugar and cayenne pepper or pepper flakes. Stir in shredded Parmesan cheese, reserving some for garnish. Cook and stir until Parmesan cheese is melted and blended into sauce, then add reserved chicken, shrimp and broccoli. Heat and stir until heated through. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta and add portions to serving plates as desired. Top each portion of pasta with sauce, chicken, shrimp and broccoli as desired and garnish with additional shredded Parmesan cheese. Excellent served with a green salad and hot garlic bread.

Notes: You can make this recipe your own by using any kind of chicken, including canned chicken breast or use boneless, skinless thighs, etc. Use only shrimp, only chicken, or neither one if you prefer it without meat or just don't have any at the time. You can tailor this recipe by doubling the ingredients, or half them to make a smaller amount. Use any variety of pasta you have on hand. If you prefer you can drain the pasta and mix everything together before serving. The ingredients are very simple, but the real butter and whipping cream are what makes the dish, so don't substitute those ingredients for lower fat. 

ground coffee, espresso grind if possible

2 (8 oz.) packages of mascarpone cheese

2 packages of lady fingers

4 eggs, separated

4-5 spoons sugar, not too full

Cocoa powder for dusting on top 

Brew coffee in a moka pot. Place brewed coffee in a flat bottomed dish and add a little water to it. Set aside to fully cool. 

Separate eggs, placing yolks in a larger mixing bowl and whites into a medium mixing bowl. 

Beat egg yolks and sugar, then add mascarpone cheese and mix thoroughly. With clean beaters, whip egg whites until stiff, then fold stiff egg whites carefully into cheese mixture. 

In a lasagna pan, place a layer of the cream mixture, then dip each lady finger in the cooled brewed coffee and layer onto the cream mixture. Continue until all lady fingers and cream mixture are used, then dust with cocoa powder if desired. Cover tightly with lid or foil. 

Refrigerate over night or until thoroughly chilled. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.  

1 yellow onion, diced

6 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons sugar

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

28 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes

1 cup water; may also use pasta water or chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes OR a pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Optional: 1 lb. ground beef, pork or Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled. I use ground beef, salted.

If using meat, brown in skillet and drain on paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add garlic and oregano. Saute for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently to scrape the bottom of the skillet to ensure the garlic doesn't burn. Add Italian seasoning, basil, black pepper and salt, and saute for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant. Reduce heat to low.

Add wine and sugar. Stir to combine and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes to reduce. Add all tomatoes, water or broth, bay leaves, pepper flakes and paprika. Stir to combine, cover and simmer on low for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency.

Remove the bay leaves. If desired, you may add the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender if you prefer your sauce to be smooth. This is a personal thing and completely optional. Do not blend if you prefer a chunkier sauce; I don't blend mine. 

If using meat, add cooked meat to the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes before serving. Serve hot over pasta. I love this sauce with ground beef over rotini pasta.