Crab is delicious. Anything Italian is delicious. Crab stuffed into a cheesy pasta with a butter cream sauce on top? Heaven! 

This is one meal that is absolutely on my "keep list." For the exquisite taste of this recipe, the simplicity is amazing! All you need for a true restaurant-quality meal is just a little over an hour of your time!

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 box (8 oz.) cannelloni or manicotti pasta (about 12 shells)
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling at end
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tablespoon dried basil, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (I know it's not an exact conversion, but with the strength of dried basil, I limited it. Feel free to add more or take away for your tastes!)
• 1 pound lump crabmeat
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (yes, there is a difference!)
• Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta to box directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Fill the cannelloni with crab mixture and place in prepared baking dish. Top the filled cannelloni with bechamel sauce and sprinkle with reserved parmesan cheese. Bake 20 minutes. Set oven to broil and broil until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Bechamel Sauce:

• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.
3. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes. (Don't allow to boil)
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate)  Yield: about 4 cups

Source:  Giada DeLaurentiis

Every once in a while, you come across a recipe where you take the first bite, and know that it's going in the front of your recipe box. This is certainly that dish! The chicken itself is incredibly simple to make, and the sauce is mouthwatering good!

Take my advice--make this recipe! You will be licking up the sun-dried tomato basil goodness from your plate (if there's any left!)

Servings: 4 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1/2 seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil (or use 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place milk and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes. Fillet the chicken breasts to make thin or pound them thin.
2. In a large skillet, heat butter to medium heat. Dip chicken in milk, then in bread crumbs, and cook in butter on both sides 10-15 minutes. When finished, remove and keep warm.
3. For the sauce, add garlic to a 1 to 2 quart saucepan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth; bring to a boil. Stir in cream and tomatoes. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce the heat.
4. Add parmesan, basil and black pepper; stir and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken and dig in!

Source:

The-Girl-Who-Ate-Everything

Alright, I think it's about time that I post something rather healthy, but delicious! 
On Sundays, my husband's and my parents come over for a family dinner! We have been trying new recipes and we try to coordinate our food so that everything blends well! One week, we had a fall-themed dinner, and my mother-in-law tested out this wonderful fall salad. There are so many flavors in this that make you wish you were sipping hot apple cider while sitting fireside. This is definitely a keeper!

Serving Size:  approximately 6 side salads

Ingredients:

• 6-8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 medium pears, chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• Balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Combine lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta in a large bowl.
2. Just before serving, drizzle with dressing or allow guests to add their own amount of dressing. Enjoy!

Source:

www.espressoandcream.com

Desserts are definitely one of my favorite things to make! I have a habit of asking my husband if a new dessert recipes sounds good, and he always responds with, "Can't you just make brownies or chocolate chip cookies?"

This next recipe might not be just chocolate chip cookies, but it definitely incorporates them into a sweet and delicious dessert! 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cold heavy cream
  
• 12 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua)
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 (8-ounce) packages chocolate chip cookies, from your grocery store's bakery
• 1 package mini chocolate chips (for decoration)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the first 7 ingredients (through vanilla). Mix on low speed to combine, and then gradually increase the speed, until stiff peaks form.
2. To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (Break some cookies to fill in empty spaces.)
3. Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookie layer. Place another layer of cookies on top, filling in all spaces. Repeat with the whipped cream and cookies until all 5 layers are complete, with whipped cream on top.
4. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
5. To serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips, and enjoy!

Source:  Ina Garten

Toasted bread and apple butter is a great way to start a Saturday morning. But it's even better when they're both homemade! 

I have always said that it's easier to simply buy something in the grocery store, but it won't taste anywhere near as fantastic as if you made it from scratch! I also never thought that yeast would be a staple in my pantry, but boy was I wrong!

My husband brought home 2 large bushels of apples for me to make numerous apple pies, apple butter, and apple-anything-you-can-think-of! I wish I had taken a picture of my mother-in-law's kitchen as there were 5 of us peeling, slicing and chopping apples to make 10 quarts of apple butter. Our mistake? Starting at 6:00pm. 6:00am would have made much more sense.

There was also another stupid mistake--multiplying this recipe by 8 and thinking all of the apples would fit in one of the large pots I own. Nope...try two giant pots. 

Last mistake? Not multiplying the oven time. Oh well, lessons learned!

On a different note, that was the 2nd time I made this recipe. The first time, I tried only what was written and it turned out amazingly! Because of that, my advice would be to absolutely make this recipe--but don't multiply it more than 2 times.

I'll also give you a quick run-down on how to can your finished product!

Yield: 1 large loaf

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water (105-110 degrees F)
• 1 good teaspoon active dry yeast
• 5 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Place water and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer and and allow the yeast to bloom for 5 minutes. 
2. Using a dough hook attachment, add flour and sugar to the bowl and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Drizzle in the olive oil and add the salt. Beat on medium speed 8-10 minutes, or until a smooth, elastic dough is formed.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat each side. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place away from drafts, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seams each time. Begin forming the dough into a round, elongated shape with rounded (not-pointed) edges.
5. Preheat your oven lined with a pizza stone to 425 degrees F. If you do not have a pizza stone, and inverted baking sheet will also do the job.
6. Place the dough on a separate baking sheet heavily dusted with cornmeal or semolina flour. Allow the dough to proof, covered with a slightly damp towel, for 30 minutes.
7. Brush the dough with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 (1/4 inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough, at a 45 degree angle. Spray the dough generously with water from a spray bottle, and place the dough on the pizza stone in the oven. Bake for 3 minutes, spray the dough again, and immediately close the oven door. Repeat a third time. (This is to ensure a crisp golden-brown crust--I did not have a spray bottle, so I used a wet paper towel--I will get a spray bottle for next time and see how the results differ!)
9. Bake the dough for 45 minutes or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is hit with the back of a wooden spoon. (Maybe because I didn't have a spray bottle, my crust started to get almost too brown, so I covered the bread with a piece of foil about 30 minutes into the baking process. Check your bread throughout the baking to see if you also need to cover.)
10. Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving with your delicious, homemade apple butter!

Source:  FoodNetwork for both recipes

There is no better way to dress up a standard peanut butter cookie recipe than to stuff a mini Milky Way inside! It's actually a pretty big debate in my house between those who like Milky Way and those who prefer Snickers inside their cookie. I obviously like Milky Way much better, but feel free to choose whichever you like!

I will also add that we've put miniature Reese's cups and Milky Way Midnight in the cookies, but they just don't have the right consistency. Please try your own concoctions and share your thoughts!

Total Time: 3 hours, 11 minutes
Active: 45 minutes
Cook: 26 minutes (13 minutes per tray, 2 at a time)
Refrigeration Time: at least 2 hours


Yield: Approx. 4 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 48 miniature Milky Ways
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon shortening (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine butter, peanut butter, and both sugars in a large mixing bowl. Using a mixer, beat on low to medium speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add vanilla to the eggs; mix until combined. Add egg mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Combine 1/2 cup flour with baking soda and salt. Add this to the peanut butter. Mix in the remaining 3 cups of flour until just combined. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper (or lightly grease your cookie sheet). Remove one part of dough from plastic wrap and slice into 12 equal pieces. Taking one of the pieces in your hand, flatten it slightly. Place 1 piece of candy in the center of the dough and use your hands to mold the dough around the chocolate to seal it inside. Place on your prepared baking sheet. 12 cookies will fit on a sheet, but space them evenly apart, as they will puff up a bit. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. 
3. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack.
4. (Optional Step)  Place chocolate bits and crisco in a microwaveable bowl and melt on high for 30 seconds. Stir and melt an additional 30 seconds. Repeat if necessary. Place chocolate in a pastry bag fitted with a very small circular tip. Drizzle chocolate on the cookies however you would like! (If I split the batch between Milky Way and Snickers bars, I will write an 'M' or 'P' on top of the cookies to differentiate.)

Source:  Lynn Palmer Homemade