Delicious Salad

Equal parts romaine and red leaf (1 large handful per person)

Grape tomatoes (I quarter them)
Toasted Pine nuts
Dried cranberries (when they're in season, I use pomegranate seeds instead)
Feta cheese
Red onion, diced
Croutons (if there's an Herb crouton option, I use that, otherwise I try to get a plain buttered crouton, something without a lot of extra flavors, it's there for the crunch)

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup canola oil
5 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Black pepper to taste (lots of pepper, I put in about a tablespoon)

I vinaigrette in a tupperware, shake it up, put it in fridge for a few hours so the flavors can combine, then pour over the salad and toss.

For 10 people: big head of romaine, 2 heads of red leaf, and a double recipe of the vinaigrette

Vanilla Creme Brulee

 Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for topping

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. 

In saucepan or microwave, combine cream and salt, and heat over low until just hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add vanilla.

In a bowl, beat yolks and sugar together until light. Stir about a quarter of the cream into this mixture, then pour sugar-egg mixture into cream and stir. Pour into four 6-ounce ramekins and place ramekins in a baking dish. Fill dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the dishes.

Bake 30-40 minutes, or until centers are barely set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours and up to a couple days.

When ready to serve, top each custard with about a teaspoon of sugar in a thin layer. Place ramekins in a broiler 2-3 inches from heat source. Turn on boiler. Cook until sugar melts and browns, about 5 minutes. Serve right away. (Or brown sugar with torch.)

Bacon Quiche

1 homemade or refrigerated pie crust, placed in 9-inch pie plate.

1 1/4 cups half-and-half (or 1/2 milk 1/2 cream mixture)

5 eggs, slightly beaten

salt/pepper to taste

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled (3/4 cup). (Cook in oven 400 degrees, 15-20 minutes.)

any other mix-ins (sauteed onions, mushrooms and/or bell peppers, spinach)

1 1/4 cups grated cheese (any type)

Directions:

Optional: Cook pie crust 400 degrees for 8 minutes to avoid a soggy bottom. (Especially if adding high moisture ingredients like mushrooms or spinach.)

In medium bowl, mix together milk/cream, eggs and S/P. Layer bacon, any mix-ins and cheese in crust-lined plate. Pour egg mixture over top.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (226g)
• 1/3 cup sugar (70g)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, tightly packed (70g)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour (280g)
• 2 teaspooons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar for rolling (optional)
• 1/3 cup jam or preserves flavor of your choice -- I used raspberry preserves for this recipe (105g)

Instructions

• Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (you may instead use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer) and beat until creamy.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sugars, and beat, gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high until ingredients are well-combined (about 30-60 seconds).
• Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.  
• With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients until completely combined.  This dough will seem very dry and crumbly, so be sure to pause occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.  If it starts to strain your mixer you can use your hands to finish working the dough together.
• Scoop cookie dough into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll very well (so that the dough is round and there are no cracks/seams in the cookie dough -- this will help keep your thumbprints from cracking).
• Roll in granulated sugar (if using) and place on a wax-paper covered plate or small cookie sheet.  Use your thumb or the rounded back of a teaspoon to gently press an indent in the center of the cookie dough.  Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
• Transfer cookie dough to freezer and chill for 30 minutes.
• Once dough is done chilling, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and place your jam in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Heat briefly (about 5-10 seconds) or until jam is not hot but is no longer firm and is easy to stir.
• Spoon jam into each thumbprint, filling each indent to the brim.  
• Once oven is preheated, place cookies at least 2" apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake on 375F (190C) for 11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.
• Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying.

From https://sugarspunrun.com/thumbprint-cookies/

Tres Leches Cake

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

1 1/2 c. 

all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. 

baking powder

1/2 tsp. 

kosher salt

5 

large eggs, separated

1 1/4 c. 

granulated sugar, divided

1 tsp. 

pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. 

milk

1/4 c. 

melted butter, cooled

FOR THE FILLING

1 

(14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 

(12-oz.) can evaporated milk

1/2 c. 

milk

1 tsp. 

pure vanilla extract

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

2 c. 

heavy cream

1/2 c. 

sugar

FOR SERVING

1/4 c. 

cinnamon-sugar

sliced strawberries, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9"-x-13" baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together egg yolks and 1 cup of sugar until stiff ribbons trail behind beaters, then beat in vanilla and set aside.
3. In a third large bowl using a hand mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form then gradually add in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
4. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients and beat together. Add in milk and melted butter and beat until combined. Gently fold in egg whites until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean, 30 minutes. Let cool.
5. Meanwhile make filling: In a medium bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, and vanilla. Using a fork, poke holes all over cake, then pour milk mixture evenly over cake. Cover and place in refrigerator until all of the mixture is absorbed, at least 1 hour.
6. When ready to serve make whipped cream: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Frost cake with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Serve with strawberries or other fresh fruit.
7. From https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58567/easy-tres-leches-cake-recipe/

French Macarons with buttercream filling

French Macarons

Ingredients:

200g powdered sugar

100g almond flour

120g egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

40g sifted, granulated sugar

food coloring 

Instructions:

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Blend powdered sugar and almond flour in food processor for 30 seconds. Set aside. In another bowl, beat egg whites and salt on medium for 1 minute then high for 3 minutes. Gently fold in granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time. On low speed, beat in any coloring. Fold in powdered sugar mixture until combined. Let batter sit for 30 minutes. Fill piping bag with batter and pipe evenly sized 2-inch rounds onto silicone lined baking sheet. Let rounds sit for 45 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes in a 325 F oven. Cool. Sandwich two shells together with buttercream. 

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cream

2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar, cream and vanilla. Mix well.

Angie's BBQ beans for a Crowd

Angie's Savory Rice and Spanish Rice

Angie's Chili

Angie's chicken noodle soup