Easiest-Ever Holiday Sugar Cookie Bars

 Ingredients

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies

2 tablespoons red and green candy sprinkles

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Additional red and green candy sprinkles

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Knead in 2 tablespoons candy sprinkles until well blended. Press in pan.
Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until set and edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
In medium bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in milk and almond extract. Frost bars. Decorate with additional candy sprinkles. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.

Barbecue Chicken Bubble-Up Bake

 

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Homestyle refrigerated original or buttermilk biscuits

1 bottle (18 oz) barbecue sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Remove from heat. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Set aside.
Place cooked chicken in medium bowl. Pour barbecue sauce over chicken; stir to combine. Add biscuit dough pieces to chicken mixture; gently toss to combine. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over top.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Sprinkle cilantro over top. Serve immediately.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

 

For the sauce

• 1 small head cauliflower, separated into small florets
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup (102g) white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup (10g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

For the filling

• 1 medium head cauliflower, separated into small florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups (175g) whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli or rigatoni

For the topping

• 1/2 cup (45g) panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the sauce: In a large pot, combine the cauliflower, onion and garlic. Cover with water and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the cauliflower, onion and garlic, reserving the cooking liquid.

Scrape the vegetables into a blender. Puree until smooth, gradually adding the cooking liquid until you reach your desired consistency. Add both cheeses and puree until smooth. Season with salt.

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230ºC). On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the cauliflower, tossing once, until crispy and browned, about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 400°F (200ºC).

Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until just shy of al dente (it continues to cook in the oven). Drain well and return to the pot. Add the roasted cauliflower and 2 cups of the sauce. Gently toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the filling into the prepared baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce on top and spread in an even layer.

For the topping: In a small bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese and transfer the baking dish to the oven. Bake at 400°F (200ºC) until the mac and cheese is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: About 2 cups

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 464; Total Fat: 23g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 38mg; Sodium: 686mg; Carbohydrate: 48g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 19g

Incredible Uses for Epson Salt in the Garden

1. Improve Seed Germination

Using Epsom salt as a soil amendment before seeding will give your garden a powerful boost right from the start. Magnesium aids in seed germination and helps to strengthen cell walls, leading to more and stronger seedlings. For best results, incorporate 1 cup of salt per 100 square feet of tilled soil or mix 1 – 2 tablespoons into the soil at the bottom of each hole before dropping in seeds.
2. Increase Nutrient Absorption

Many commercial fertilizers add magnesium to help plant roots take up vital nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur.) For those using all organic materials to feed their gardens, adding Epsom salt to soil will improve absorption naturally, eliminating the need for processed chemical fertilizers.

3. Counter Transplant Shock

We’ve all seen how our plants and seedlings wilt when we move them from a small pot to a larger one, from indoors to outside, or from greenhouse to ground. Try feeding transplants with Epsom salt once they’re in their new environment to help injured roots overcome transplant shock. Remember to add a layer of soil on top of salt sprinkled in holes so roots don’t come into direct contact with these concentrated minerals right away.

4. Green Up Foliage

Plants that aren’t getting enough magnesium can be identified by their yellowing leaves. This is because magnesium is an essential component in the production of chlorophyll. Try sprinkling Epsom salt around your plants to achieve healthier foliage. About 1 tablespoon per 12 inches of height once a month will benefit the plants in your vegetable garden, as well as any trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses you want to green up.

5. Prevent Leaf Curling

Prevent Leaf Curling with Epsom SaltLeaf curling may also be caused by magnesium-deficiency in plants. Again, add Epsom salt to the soil around the base of the sick plant. Alternately, for faster absorption you can mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in a gallon of water and apply directly to the leaves.

6. Deter Garden Pests

While Epsom salt won’t dehydrate slugs and snails like table salt (sodium chloride), it can still be used to deter pests. Hydrated magnesium sulfate crystals are sharp and when sprinkled around plants, they can scratch and irritate the bodies and feet of unwanted critters in much the same way as diatomaceous earth. (Keep in mind that Epsom salt dissolves very easily in water, thus any amount of rain will likely wash them away.)

7. Grow Sweeter Fruit

The production of fruiting bodies is the most taxing process in the life cycle of a plant. Apply Epsom salt to fruit and nut trees, bushes, and vines using the same methods and quantities stated above to boost chlorophyll levels inside the plant cells. Increased energy means more sugar, allowing the plant to produce higher yields of sweeter, healthier fruit.

8. Tastier Tomatoes

Grow Tastier Tomatoes with Epsom SaltTomato vines are one of a handful of common garden residents whose fruit to plant size ratio is heavier than average, leading to an even higher likelihood of magnesium-deficiency. For this reason, tomatoes should be fed Epsom salt twice as often as other plants. Also, because tomato vines are prone to calcium-deficiency (blossom end rot), the majority of tomato fertilizers contain calcium which will compete with magnesium for root absorption. Therefore, foliar feeding is the more efficient method for delivering magnesium to these plants. Water tomato vines with dissolved Epsom salt – 2 tablespoons per gallon of water, every 2 weeks.

9. More Plentiful Peppers

Peppers are another popular garden plant with a higher-than average fruit to plant size ratio. As such, they should also be fed magnesium every two weeks to achieve higher yields of larger fruits. For hot peppers, over-watering can lead to fruit with less heat, thus the soil amendment method may be preferable in this case. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt for every foot of height around the drip line of your pepper plants once per week.

10. Beautiful, Bountiful Roses

Get Beautiful Roses with Epsom SaltEver wonder why your neighbors’ rose bushes are fuller than yours and sport so many more blossoms? It is highly likely that the answer is Epsom salt. Not only does it help roses to produce larger blossoms in greater numbers, many successful rosarians will agree that magnesium also aids in the growth of new canes from the base of the plant. And of course, Epsom salt increases chlorophyll production meaning darker leaves. For maximum benefit, roses should at the least be fed with Epsom salt at time of planting, then again at the first sign of new growth, and once more when the flowers are in full bloom. Bare root roses may also be soaked in water containing dissolved Epsom salt before planting.

It is almost impossible to use too much Epsom salt in your garden. Magnesium sulfate is pH neutral, so it won’t harm your soil. The crystals break down into water, magnesium, and sulfur – three components which are beneficial in some way to most plants. Epsom salt is safe, easy to apply, and works fast to correct a variety of problems and increase the overall health of your garden. As if that weren’t enough, Epsom salt is also inexpensive making it one of the most perfect tools for the health-conscious, responsible gardener.

Chocolate Pudding Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Combine the flour and soda and set aside. Mix the butter, sugars, pudding mix and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add in the eggs and mix well. Gradually stir in the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips and drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Baja Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 (4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (24 ounce) bag baby potatoes
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 1 1/2 cups pico de gallo 

• 1 cup canned diced green chiles, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon garlic pepper seasoning
• 1 teaspoon red hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add roast and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker; set on Low.
2. 
   
3. Arrange potatoes, carrots, pico de gallo, green chiles, and jalapeno peppers around the roast. Sprinkle in taco seasoning, garlic pepper, hot sauce, and chili powder. Cover and cook until roast is fall-apart tender, about 5 hours.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas, cut into chunks
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. 
   
3. Place the bananas into a large plastic zipper bag, seal the bag, and smoosh the bananas with your fingers until very well mashed. Set the bananas aside. Place the brown sugar and butter into a mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut a corner from the plastic bag, and squeeze the mashed bananas into the bowl of brown sugar mixture. With the electric mixer on medium speed, beat in the bananas, egg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk until the mixture is well combined. Switch the mixer to low speed, and gradually beat in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt just until the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
4. 
   
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is set and lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf should come out clean.