" Whatever Floats Your Boat" Brownies!

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Servings: 16

"These are absolutely the chewiest, moistest, fudgiest brownies ever! I have tried adding so many different things to the batter, and they ALWAYS comes out great. They are also great without ANY add-ins! BUT by varying the add-ins, you can make different brownies every week (or day!!) SUPER EASY PREP! So, add "whatever floats your boat" and you will not believe how yummy they come out :) Oh, and the recipe doubles just fine--use a 9 x 13 inch pan instead and add a few more minutes of baking!"

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT ADDITIONS

• 1 -2 cup chocolate chips ( semisweet, white, butterscotch, peanut butter)
• 1 -2 cup raisins
• 1 -2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 -2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 -2 cup M&M's
• 1 -2 cup Reese's pieces
• 1 -2 cup miniature marshmallow
  Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease an 8 inch square pan or line with foil.
3. In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved.
4. Add sugar and mix well.
5. Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
6. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix).
7. 
   
8. Fold in "WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT"!
9. Spread in pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
10. DO NOT OVER-BAKE -- your brownies will come out dry. Adjust time/temp accordingly for your oven. If you do the knife/toothpick test, it should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
11. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
12. For vegetarian omit the marshmallows.
13. For double recipe, bake in 9x12 pan and add 5 minutes to baking time.

Cracker Barrel's Hashbrowns Casserole - Copycat

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 1 hrs
Servings: 10-12

"I don't know if this is Cracker Barrel's actual hash browns casserole recipe, but it is close. This recipe can feed a large crowd and is good for a brunch."

Ingredients

• 2 lbs frozen hash browns
• 1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (10 1/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1/2 cup onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix the above ingredients together, place in prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

Jello Melon Wedges

• Prep Time: 3 hrs
• Total Time: 3 hrs
• Servings: 6

"This is a Kraft recipe and I just love the look of it. Galia Melon with lime, honeydew with strawberry Mmmm - If you love jello you'll love this recipe"

Ingredients

• 1 medium melon, your choice
• 1 package gelatin powder, your choice but a flavor & color that will compliment your melon

Directions

1. Cut the melon in half lengthwise, remove seeds& dry center well with a paper towel Prepare Jello powder following package Instructions for 30 minute set.
2. Place melon halves in small bowls and spoon the liquid jello into the centers, fill to the brim Chill until firm apprx 3 hours.
3. Cut into wedges to serve.
4. when placing on serving plates do it carefully so the jello stays on the melon wedge.

3 Great Olive Garden Recipes

Olive Garden Grilled Chicken Flat bread

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 35 min

Serves: 4

You may consider adding additional toppings to this, I made one with some sliced red onions, and a couple of kalamata olives and thought that these flat breads were quite delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 package of flatbread - this can be purchased at a grocery store
• 1 chicken breast
• 1 cup Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 to 1 grilled red pepper - depends on your personal preference, and how big the pepper is
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions

Prepare Alfredo sauce, you can have the recipe, or you can simply cook up some pasta and enjoy some pasta with the Alfredo sauce. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, and place in a skillet over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook chicken breast for about 4 minutes on one side, flip over, and cook chicken breast on the other side, this should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Slice chicken breast into small slices.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel garlic clove, cut in half, and rub cut garlic clove over the flat bread. Place cooked sliced chicken breast onto flatbread, coat the bread with Alfredo sauce, top with half of the grilled red peppers, and add sprinkle over mozzarella cheese on top of everything. Place into the oven and heat until the mozzarella cheese melts, this should take 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and top with remaining grilled red peppers and add chopped basil before serving.

How to grill peppers

There are several ways to grill peppers.

How to grill a pepper in the oven

Preheat broiler. Lightly coat the red pepper with olive oil. Grill peppers under the broiler until the skin turns black and the pepper softens slightly. Place pepper into a paper bag to cool for approximately 20 minutes, and then peal off the blackened skin.

How to grill a pepper on a gas stove top

Turn your flame on high, and with metal tongs place the pepper on the gas burner, flip over once one side is blackened, continue to do so until the entire pepper has been blackened. Place pepper into a paper bag to cool for approximately 20 minutes, and the peal off the blackened skin.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoon corn syrup
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoon Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or one clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for about 10 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Another great use for the Olive Garden salad dressing is as a marinade for vegetables or even meats that you might like to grill. So you can see the Olive Garden salad dressing can be used in more than one way.

Be sure to serve this recipe with the Olive Garden Salad Mix.

Olive Garden Bolognese sauce

Recipe Type: Sauce, Pasta

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 45 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 6 ounces Italian sausage, skinned
• 1 cup red wine (Merlot or Pinot Nior recommended)
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/4 tsp. dry)
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage
•  

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.† De-glaze pan with wine; let it reduce. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir; simmer for about 1 hour.† Serve over fresh, hot pasta.

These great recipes were found at copykat.com

Romano's Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

Found this great recipe on Food.com

About This Recipe

"This is an attempt to immitate the excellent bread that is served in the Macaroni Grill Restaurant."

• Ingredients

  1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rosemary
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Add more flour if necessary.
6. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8. Punch down dough and divide in half.
9. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14. Preheat oven to 375°F.
15. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired.).

Cream Cheese Biscuits

8 ounces cream cheese, softened 2/3 cup butter, softened 1 1/3 cup commercial or homemade self-rising flour Butter, softened or melted, for finishing

Pulse together the cream cheese, 2/3 cup butter, and 1 cup of flour two or three times in food processor fitted with the knife or dough blade until it comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto waxed paper and divide into two rounds. Flatten.

Wrap in waxed paper, plastic wrap, or resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly sprinkle a board or other clean surface using some of the 1/3 cup reserved flour. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour. With floured hands and a floured rolling pin, roll out one portion of the dough at a time to about 1/4 inch thick. Fold the dough over to make it 1/2 inch thick. For each biscuit, dip a 1 to 1 1/4 inch biscuit cutter into reserved flour and cut out the biscuits, starting at the outside edge and cutting very close together, being careful not to twist the cutter. The scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, although these scraps make tougher biscuits. Roll out the second portion when ready to bake.

Using a metal spatula if necessary, move the biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet, placing the biscuits 1 inch apart. Refrigerate the biscuits for 10 to 20 minutes until cold. Bake the biscuits on the top rack of the oven for a total of 10 to 12 minutes until light golden brown. After 6 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven so that the front of the pan is now turned to the back, and check to see if the bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another packing pan underneath to add insulation and retard the browning. Continue baking another 4 to 6 minutes until the biscuits are light golden brown. When the biscuits are done, lightly brush the tops with butter. Turn the biscuits out upside down on a plate to cool slightly. Serve hot, right side up.

These biscuits may be frozen, unbaked or baked, and reheated.

Flat Bread and Pizza Dip

Piadina (Italian Flat Bread)

2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cup water

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, stir together the flour, yeast and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water and baking soda, then add the olive oil. With the mixer on low, add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir to combine to make a firm moist dough.

Switch to the dough hook on your mixer, or on a lightly floured surface knead the dough until smooth, shiny and elastic (about 10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes by dough hook on medium-low speed).

Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel to let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down or flatten the dough in the bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.  While the dough is resting, start a cast iron skillet or griddle heating over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until very hot, let it heat up slowly to avoid hot spots that will burn your flat bread.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece until about 5-6 inches across and roughly 1/2 inch thick. If the dough is still too stiff to roll, or pulls back, let it rest a couple of minutes before rolling.

Place one of the dough rounds in the hot pan and prick the dough in several places with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Cook the dough until golden brown on both sides, flipping several times while cooking. It will take about 4-5 minutes per round. Repeat with the remaining pieces until they are all cooked. You can keep the cooked rounds in a clean towel on a plate in a 200 degree oven to keep warm, stacking them on top of each other. This will help them stay soft as well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 10 round flat breads.

Lazy 4-Layer Pizza Dip

6 ounces ricotta cheese
6 ounces finely shredded Italian cheese blend (I used provolone, mozzarella and Parmesan)
3/4 cup pizza or marinara sauce
pepperoni slices to cover the top

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread ricotta cheese in an even layer in a baking dish with high sides (for deep dish version it should be no more than 6-inches across approximately).

Pour pizza sauce over ricotta cheese and spread evenly. Layer shredded cheese over pizza sauce. Layer the top with the pepperoni slices. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese is browned and bubbly.