Recipes

These brown sugar cookies are sure to crank up the flavor with dark brown sugar and a touch of molasses. Try this recipe for delicious cookies rich in flavor the whole family will love. Ingredients: 2 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon fine salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 ¾ cups dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon molasses (not blackstrap) 1 large egg 1 large yolk 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ½ cup granulated sugar, for rolling Instructions: Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper. (If you don’t have 3 baking sheets, you can reuse the parchment and baking sheets, just let the sheets cool off between each round.) In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and the molasses and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Place the granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Form the cookies into 1 1/2-ounce balls (2 tablespoons). Roll each ball in the sugar and place 8 cookies on each sheet pan. Bake one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the sides are set and the bottoms are light golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the pan, then remove them and let them cool completely on the wire rack. Source: the Kitchn

Cooking bacon in an oven has its perks. There’s no oil splatter on your stovetop and you get to cook a full batch evenly at the same time. Here’s how to do it. Tools You’ll Need: 1 lb package of bacon Metal sheet pan Paper towels Step 1: Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet. Overlap the lean edge of each slice with the fat edge of the next one. Step 2: Preheat your oven to 400F. Place the pan in the uppermost rack to bake. After 12 minutes have passed, move the pan to the lower rack for an additional 12 to 13 minutes until the slices are golden brown and crispy. Step 3: Remove the pan and let cool slightly. Place two to three paper towels on a plate. Move the strips from the sheet to the paper towels and let the excess grease soak in the towels. You can also blot the top with another towel. Enjoy! Sources: Good Housekeeping

Sweet corn may be enjoyed on the side but you can use it many different ways. Try these three delicious recipes, courtesy of Culinary. Sweet Corn with Southern BBQ Butter Yield: 4 servings 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (sweet, spicy, etc.) 1/4 stick butter 4 ears fresh Florida sweet corn, shucked Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper Chives, for garnish Preheat oven broiler on high. Add barbecue sauce and butter to small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Season corn lightly with salt and pepper. Place sweet corn in a medium-sized baking dish and pour barbecue mixture over sweet corn. Broil 4 inches from broiler, being sure to watch the whole time. Turn and baste for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden. Garnish with chives. Serve warm. Top with some of these combinations: Garlic and basil butter Cilantro, lime and honey Parmesan and pesto sauce Cinnamon, sugar and butter Sweet Corn and Black Bean Enchiladas Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 cup fresh Florida sweet corn kernels 2 bell peppers, diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 cup salsa 1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 10 6-inch corn tortillas 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1 8-ounce can enchilada sauce Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 11 x 7-inch (2-quart) baking dish with pan release cooking spray. Add vegetable oil to a medium pan. Cook onion, corn and bell peppers over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add cumin, salsa and black beans, and continue to cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Place an even amount of the filling mixture in each tortilla. Using 1 cup shredded cheese, evenly distribute it on top of each tortilla. Carefully roll up each tortilla, and place seam side down in sprayed baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas, spreading to coat all tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve with diced avocado, salsa and sour cream, if desired. Sweet Corn and Ricotta Fritters Yield: 4 to 6 servings 2 ears fresh Florida sweet corn, kernels removed 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine 4 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese 2 large eggs, beaten 1/3 cup self-rising unbleached or whole-wheat flour Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper Olive oil (for shallow pan frying) In medium-sized bowl, combine corn, cilantro, ricotta, eggs, flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a small amount of olive oil to a medium-high preheated sauté pan. Carefully add spoonfuls of corn mixture to hot pan. Cook on both sides until golden brown. Test the first done fritter, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with low-fat sour cream if desired. Sources: Culinary.net

Ingredients: 4 large russet potatoes, about a pound each Extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon cream Stuffing Option 1: Cheddar and Bacon 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 4 strips bacon 1/4 cup chopped green onion Stuffing Option 2: Blue Cheese and Chives 1 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 1/2 teaspoon salt Directions Bake the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don’t explode. Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. Place directly on the middle or top rack of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed. If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren’t nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes. Cook the bacon (if using): If you are including bacon as one of your mix-ins, while the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble. Make potato “boats”: Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato “canoe”, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin. Alternatively, you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats. Mash potato insides with sour cream, milk, butter: Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Do not over-beat the potatoes! They can turn glue-y if you do. Stuff potato shells with filling: Mix in the extras with the potato filling. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings. Bake: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan or baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Sources: Simply Recipes Image: Alison Bickel

Every holiday season, there’s nothing like relaxing and sipping on a hot chocolate to wrap up the evening. Try this recipe we’re sure you’ll love. Ingredients: 6 cups milk ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons molasses 3 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon allspice 7 ounces good quality milk chocolate, chopped Whipped cream, for serving Mini marshmallows, for serving Directions: Combine the milk, cocoa powder, sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon nutmeg and allspice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar, cocoa powder and spices are dissolved and the milk is steaming, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a boil. Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until smooth. Divide among 6 to 8 mugs and garnish with whipped cream and mini marshmallows. Sources: Food Network

It’s never too early to start the New Year resolutions with some healthy eating. Try this recipe for a delicious farro and watercress salad topped with fresh shrimp. Ingredients: 1 cup farro (emmer wheat) Sea salt ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ pounds fresh shrimp, deveined, thoroughly rinsed an patted dry Juice of ½ lime Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves ½ lemon, juiced, seeds removed One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well 1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed Directions: Soak the farro in warm water for about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Pour into a medium saucepan with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt and cook for about 30 minutes. The farro should be soft but have a slight chew to it. Drain to remove excess water, and then transfer to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside. Preheat the broiler. Toss the shrimp with 2 more tablespoons olive oil, some salt, pepper and the lime juice. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let cool slightly. Make the salad dressing by combining the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, the mint, lemon juice and some salt and pepper in a small jar. Cover and shake to combine. Toss together the farro, beans and watercress in a large bowl with half of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. To plate, transfer the salad to a large platter and top with the shrimp. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side. Sources: Food Network

Try this delicious apple cake recipe for the festivities ahead. You’ll love the combination of the crisp fruit and cinnamon sugar-flavored pastry. A perfect balance without too much sweetness. Recipe courtesy of Culinary.net Ingredients: 3 cusps Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and diced 3 teaspoons cinnamon 6 tablespoons, plus 2 cups, sugar, divided 3 cups flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup oil 4 eggs, beaten ¼ cup orange juice 1 teaspoon vanilla Icing (optional) Directions: Heat oven to 350 F. In medium bowl, mix apples, cinnamon and 5 tablespoons sugar until combined. Set aside. In large bowl, mix flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Form well in middle of mixture. Add oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla; mix until blended. In springform pan, pour half of batter. Add apple mixture. Pour remaining batter over apple mixture. Sprinkle remaining sugar over batter. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until top is golden brown and tester comes out clean and dry. Drizzle with icing, if desired. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram for more recipes and tips from Cosmo. Sources: Culinary

Blending a margarita to the correct balance of frozen and slushy brings an utterly refreshing drink. However, a poorly mixed one can be a runny mess. Here’s some of the steps you can take to ensure a delicious margarita every time. The order you place your cocktail ingredients in a blender makes a difference in taste and texture. Begin by adding all the liquids first such as liquors, juice and mixers. Follow this up with the ice and fruit, if you’re using it. Do your blender and drink a favor by using crushed or cracked ice instead of large cubes. The crushed ice will incorporate into the margarita faster without melting. When blending, start with a low speed then gradually build speed as needed. Be careful to not blend for too long as this will make the drink too thin. Be sure to drink responsibly and send us your cocktail masterpieces on Facebook and Instagram. Sources: The Kitchnn

‘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.