Pecan and Chocolate Pie

All this month I will be writing recipes for the holidays and for any celebrations you have to are invited to and want to bring something.
This pie is great for the holidays because it is easy and yummy!

Ingredients:
1 unbaked pie crust
2 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 C packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz semisweet chocolate
3/4 C light corn syrup
1 cup of toasted pecan pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Stir chocolate and butter in small pan over low heat until melted, then cool slightly
Whisk sugar, eggs and salt in bowl to combine
Whisk in corn syrup and chocolate
Pour pecans over unbaked crust and spread evenly
Pour filling over the pecans
Bake for about 55 minutes or until filing is puffed
Cool completely before serving

Drinks

Pina Colada Martini

Ingredients:
2 oz malibu
1oz Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka
Pineapple juice

Into a mixer pour the malibu
add the vodka
add a splash of pineapple juice
shake and serve


Costa Rican

Ingredients:
Three wedges of lime
One wedge each of orange and lemon
3 tsp sugar
2 oz Guaro
Splash of club soda

Add the lime, orange and lemon to a tumbler glass with the sugar
Muddle it together
Add ice
Add the Guaro and splash of club soda
Shake and serve

Holiday Drinks

I am getting into the holiday spirit early and posting a couple of my favorite holiday drinks.

Frostini
1 part Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
1 part Starbucks Cream Liqueur
1/4 part DeKuyper Peppermint Schnapps
Shake and strain into martini glass.
Garnish with a some mint.

The Candy Cane Martini
1 part Starbucks Cream Liqueur
1/2 part DeKuyper Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 part DeKuyper White Creme de Cacao1
/4 part Grenadine
Shake with ice, strain and serve in a martini glass rimmed with crushed peppermint


Enjoy for me since I am pregnant!

Soup Variations

So many people love this tortellini soup and I do it in so many variations. I sometimes add spinach to it & make it with spinach & cheese tortellini. I have made it with chicken stock and used cheese tortellini.

There is another variation I use when I have a soup & sandwich night, which is perfect for a cold winter afternoon or a quick dinner when you really don't feel like cooking. This goes best with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients:

22 oz cheese tortellini

2 14.5 oz cans of your favorite tomato soup

1/2 C half & half

1 Tb basil pesto

Heat soup in large saucepan and add tortellini

Add half & half, pesto and cream

Simmer on low 5-10 minutes until flavor incorporate and tortellini is cooked

Penne with Beef and Arugula

Ingredients:
1 pound New York strip steak
1 lb penne pasta
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 minced clove of garlic
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups chopped arugula

Season the steak with salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic.

In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.

Cook steak about 7-9 minutes each side

Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for at least 5 minutes

Slice the steak

Cook pasta until al dente

Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water

In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with one half the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water.

Toss together the pasta, arugula, and steak. Add more dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste

Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French toast

This was my sister's favorite thing when she was pregnant with her second child.





Ingredients:


filling:
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
4 eggs


1/2 Cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 slices of challah bread or some other thick sliced bread
butter





-In a bowl mix the cream cheese and preserves, until smooth
-In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk and extract. Pour into a pie plate.
-Carefully slice a pocket into the side of each slice of bread. Do not cut all the way through, you just want a pocket.
-Fill pocket with cream cheese mixture
-Heat skillet to med heat and melt butter
-Dip the filled bread into the egg mixture and brown in skillet on both sides


Serve with warm syrup.

Tortellini Soup

This is my favorite quick soup for cold days. Enjoy with a crusty roll or make Parmesan toasts. This is my husbands favorite soup and that is good for me because it is so easy, quick and I usually have all the ingredients on hand!

Ingredients:
1 package cheese tortellini
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 32oz carton of beef stock
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
chopped parsley
parmesan cheese

Place enough olive oil in stock pot to coat the bottom.
Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, salt & pepper (add a light amount of salt because you have a lot of sodium in the broth, you can always add more later) and cook until soft
Add broth and bring to a boil
Place tortellini in and cook until tortellini is done ( a couple of minutes)
Add more salt & pepper if desired, add a handful of parmesan cheese and parsley

Enjoy!