Recipes

‘Tis the season to put your baking skills to the test with holiday cookies. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or never touched an oven in your life, these tips from professional chefs are sure to help you make the perfect cookies this holiday season. Before even placing your cookies in the oven, probably one of the most important things you can do is allocate time for the dough to properly sit. Try letting the dough sit for at least two hours before baking. On the other end, let your cookies sit for five minutes before transferring them from the baking sheet. This will allow the cookies to “set up”. Let your dough firm up in the freezer or fridge. Scoop and freeze the dough before baking. Chilled dough is always best but it may be more difficult to scoop. The amount of time required will vary depending on the dough and the cookies you’re trying to make, so do research beforehand on what is best. When it comes to making the cookies themselves, less is more sometimes. Cut back on the different kinds of cookies you are trying to tackle at once. There are many varieties you can make with the same dough base to make things less complicated. Having the right tools in the kitchen can make all the difference. A bench knife can be used to slice dough and cut butter into flour. Try obtaining different sized cookie scoops, a small offset spatula and a baking mat. Sources: Insider

You can never go wrong with a classic mac and cheese for the cold winter days ahead. Try out this quick and simple recipe to indulge in a childhood favorite the entire family will love. Recipe courtesy of Culinary.net . Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 12 ounces dry elbow macaroni ¼ cup butter ¼ cup flour 2 cups milk 1 cup heavy whipping cream ½ teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese Directions: Heat oven to 425 F. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly whisk in milk, cream, mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper. Whisk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses until melted. In large bowl, add cooked macaroni and cheese sauce. Mix well and pour into greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake 18-24 minutes, or until bubbly. Cool slightly before serving. For more from Cosmo be sure to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram.

It’s time to whip out the air fryer again to enjoy these delicious and healthy foods. Air frying is among the most popular trends at the moment for its quick cooking and lesser oil content compared to traditional frying. You can never go wrong with these recipes for the whole family. Photo By: Renee Comet Air Fryer Chicken Tenders Yield: about 8 pieces Time: 1 hr 45 min Active: 25 min Ingredients Chicken: ¾ cup buttermilk 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon paprika 1 pound chicken tenders 1 ½ cups panko ¼ cup grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon olive oil Kosher salt Dipping Sauce: ¼ cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons yellow mustard 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Directions: For the chicken: Combine the buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce and paprika in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, making sure it is completely coated. Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, stir together the panko with the Parmesan, olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. For the dipping sauce: Stir together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, honey and Dijon in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 390 degrees F. Remove 1 piece of chicken at a time from the bag, shaking off excess buttermilk. Place in the panko and press gently with your hands to adhere the panko evenly. Gently shake to remove the excess and place in the air fryer basket. Repeat with enough chicken to fill the basket (about 4 pieces) and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 7 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining chicken and serve warm with the dipping sauce. Photo By: Renee Comet Air Fryer French Fries Yield: 2 servings Total: 25 min Active: 10 min Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray, for the basket 1 medium russet potato (about 6 ounces), unpeeled 1 teaspoon olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: Preheat an air fryer to 380 degrees F and spray the basket with nonstick spray. Cut the potato in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices. Cut the slices into 1/4-inch sticks. Put the fries in a medium bowl and rinse them well with cold water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. Toss the fries with the oil in a medium bowl, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Working in batches if necessary, put the fries in an even layer in the air fryer basket with no overlapping and cook, turning them halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove and season with salt. Sources: Food Network

Bake this delicious cinnamon roll recipe with a caramel glaze for a traditional dessert the whole family will love. Be sure to add this to your holiday to-do list. Recipe courtesy of Wilton. Servings: 1 dozen rolls Rolls: 1 1/3 cups warm milk (105°F) 2 packages (1/4-ounce each) active dry yeast 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 3/4 teaspoon salt 4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting Filling: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons bread flour 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon Glaze: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1/2 cup lightly-packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (about 1/4 pound) Instructions For rolls, stir together warm milk, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in large bowl. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Add butter, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and salt. Mix with electric mixer using dough hook on medium speed until combined. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix on medium speed until smooth, elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes. Spray large bowl with vegetable pan spray. Form dough into ball, place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. For filling, stir together butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon in medium bowl until well-combined. Prepare 13-by-9-inch pan with vegetable pan spray. Punch dough down and roll out to 18-by-14-inch rectangle on floured surface. Spread filling onto dough and roll up from long end, like a jelly roll. Pinch seam to seal, trim ends and cut into 12 equally-sized pieces. Place rolls into prepared pan; cover with plastic wrap and let rise 25-30 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap from rolls and bake 25-29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack while preparing glaze. For glaze, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cream. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a simmer; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Pour glaze over warm rolls. Serve warm. Source: Wilton

This quick recipe is a must for a delicious and sweet snack. A simple take on a classic treat. Surprise your family with just three ingredients. Recipe courtesy of Envy Apples. 3 apples Crushed pecans Caramel dip Using melon ball scoop, carve out round apple pieces by starting at skin and rotating inward. Insert one toothpick into each apple piece. Place crushed pecans in a small bowl. Roll round apple pieces in caramel dip then crushed pecans. Place coated apple bites on a serving tray and refrigerate until ready to serve. Source: Envy Apples

As we move through the month of December, we’re fast approaching the holiday season. Before you resort to baking the usual cookies or brownies, try out this festive popcorn recipe. Popcorn is among the healthiest snacks you can indulge in, so why not use them in a new dessert recipe for your family. Yield: 8 balls (4 inches) 2 cups shredded or flaked sweetened coconut nonstick cooking spray 3 quarts popped popcorn 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine 3 cups miniature marshmallows 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract 8 candy canes or candy cane sticks (about 3-4 inches) Place large sheet wax or parchment paper over work surface. Spread coconut on paper. Spray large mixing bowl lightly with nonstick cooking spray and place popcorn inside. In medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in marshmallows until melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over popcorn and mix well until coated. Spray hands with cooking spray and press mixture firmly to form into balls. Place balls on coconut; roll and press coconut to coat. While holding popcorn balls, gently press candy cane into each ball. Serve immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap for storage. Sources: Culinary.net , Popcorn.org

Need a last minute Thanksgiving dinner recipe? We’ve got you covered. Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious and easy pumpkin pie squares. Prep: 20 mins Cook: 35 mins Servings: 24 Yield: 1-9×13 inch dish ½ cup butter, softened ½ cup brown sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup rolled oats 2 eggs ¾ cup white sugar 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in flour. Fold in oats. Press into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, until set. In a large bowl, beat eggs with white sugar. Beat in pumpkin and evaporated milk. Mix in salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Pour over baked crust. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, until set. Let cool before cutting into squares. Source: AllRecipes