Child of the Wild Blue Yonder: Christmas

Chicken, Bacon, and Broccoli Mac n' Cheese

2016 10:10 PM

It's 24 degrees out... 24º F...
It's officially way too cold out. It hasn't even snowed here in Carbondale, so beauty isn't even an excuse to enjoy the winter weather. However, Josh suggested something that brightens up my spirits during the cold winter months: comfort food! The recipe we have for you is what I consider to be one of the most comforting of all: Mac n' Cheese.

What You'll Need:

-1 Chicken Breast

-2 Strips Thick Cut Bacon

-1 Cup Muenster Cheese

-1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese

-2 Cups Cooked Macaroni Elbows

-1 Head of Broccoli, chopped into florets

-1/2 Cup Green Onions, chopped

-3/4 Cup Milk

-2 Tbsp Sour Cream

-3 Tbsp Flour

-1 Clove Garlic

-1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika

-1/4 tsp Coriander

-1 tsp Oregano

-Salt

-Pepper

-2 tsp Olive Oil (split)

-4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. Season the chicken breast: rub it in 1 tsp olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, coriander, and oregano. Heat up the other tsp of Olive Oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breast. Cook over high heat until a nice char is achieved. Cook in the oven until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes, and cut into bite sized pieces. Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside.

2. Make a roux for the cheese sauce: heat butter over medium heat, add the flour, and stir frequently until it becomes white and bubbly. Add the milk and both of the cheeses. Stir everything together until a cheese sauce is formed.

3. In a casserole dish, combine the macaroni, sour cream, and cheese sauce. Then add the broccoli, and 1/4 Cup of green onions. Mix all the ingredients evenly throughout the casserole dish. Grate some cheddar cheese to top off the mac and cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Top with left over green onions, and enjoy!

Add sour cream, and the cheese

sauce to the macaroni. Mix until

the noodles are completely coated.

Add all the goodies, mix it up evenly and bake the mac n' cheese!

After baking, the mac n' cheese is ready to serve!

White Chocolate Dipped Cardamom "Snow Balls"

baking recipe 8:49 PM

It's getting frighteningly close to Christmas... If you're anything like me, you're ill prepared, and probably have over half of your list of gifts yet to combat. One thing that I know I can always look forward to during the holiday season is cookies! Whether it's eating, or baking cookies, I'm happy to take part. So here we go again with the baked goods; these are flakey, delicious cookies based off of a basic shortbread with a twist to add even more holiday flavor. Lastly, it is dipped in white chocolate to make this treat even more decadent.

This recipe is very easy, and requires minimal effort. Use either a hand mixer or standing mixer to mix the ingredients.

What You'll Need:

-1 Cup Unsalted Butter (softened)

-1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

-2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

-1/4 tsp Cardamom

-1 tsp Orange Extract

-Pinch Salt

-11 oz White Chocolate

-Sprinkles (optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F. In a bowl off to the side whisk together the flour, cardamom, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth. Add in the brown sugar, and continue to beat together the ingredients until they appear smooth and combined.

2. Add in the orange extract, followed by the flour. Beat over low speed until a slightly crumbly looking dough forms.

3. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough for a few minutes. Add flour if the dough sticks. Separate the dough into bite sized balls and layer on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until slightly golden and cracking.

4. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Add a small amount of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a heat safe bowl, add the white chocolate and place on top of the hot water. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring frequently. Don't let any water into the bowl with the chocolate. The secret to melting chocolate is to go for lower heat. Dip in the cookies immediately, and transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put in the fridge until the chocolate has dried.

Cream the butter before adding in the brown sugar.

Then combine the sugar.

Add the flour and beat until a crumbly dough forms.

Knead together the dough and form bite sized balls from the dough.

Bake at 350º F for approximately 10 minutes.

Dip the "snow balls" in melted white chocolate...

Throw on some sprinkles to make the cookies even more festive!

Christmas "Confetti" Shortbread Cookies

baking 5:38 PM

I love Christmas, it's an excuse to bake cookies all day while listening to the classic crooners - I really love the old Christmas songs... there's nothing like Nat King Cole or Dean Martin and the smell of shortbread cookies in the oven.
Today, Josh and I put up my Christmas tree. It's kind of a ritual for me to play Christmas music, admire all my ornaments, and bake cookies on a day as festive as this!
These shortbread cookies are so easy, and using some sprinkles in the dough really adds to the holiday appeal of the cookie.

What You'll Need:

-1 Cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

-2 Cups All Purpose Flour

-1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 1/4 Cup Sprinkles

1. Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl.

2. In a separate large bowl, add in the butter, cut into Tbsp cubes. Use a hand mixer to beat the butter until it's smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and beat this together until it is smooth and kind of white. Add the vanilla and beat until everything is mixed together.

3. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat it on low speed. The mixture will look kind of crumbly, but the dough should come together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Add the sprinkles, and just mix them in with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.

4. Split the dough into two, and form two disks. Cut two sheets of plastic wrap, and cover them with flour. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Once the dough is ready to be handled, pre-heat the oven to 325º F. Roll out the dough to be about a 1/4 inch thick. I left the dough in the plastic wrap by leaving some loose edges for the dough to expand into. If you remove it from the plastic wrap, make sure you lightly flour your rolling pin. Cut out the cookies, I used a shot glass because it was the perfect little round size.

6. Bake the cookies at 325º F for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges of the cookies are golden. Let them cool before enjoying.

Cut in the butter and whip it to a creamy texture

along with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract

Beat in all of the ingredients and mix in the sprinkles.

Separate the dough into two separate disks, and refrigerate for at least an hour!

Bake, cool, enjoy. :)

Happy Holidays :)

Spiked Hot Chocolate

chocolate 10:34 PM

Carbondale has been gloomy since Thanksgiving... Clouds, rain, the whole shebang. The parking lot of my apartment complex was so flooded that the cars parked on the lower ends of the lot had water halfway up there tires. This type of weather doesn't exactly put me in the holiday mood... Regardless, I woke up, put on my ugly Christmas Sweater and headed to work.

After a long boring day of what I like to call, "the pizza life," I really wanted a drink. To brighten our holiday spirits Josh and I made up these Spiked Hot Chocolates and watched a couple of our favorite Christmas movies.

This drink is really easy, and will, without a doubt, warm you up. Josh and I will definitely be drinking these when we put up our Christmas tree (I know, how have we not done this yet...?)

What You'll Need:

-3/4 Ounces Vodka

-3/4 Ounces Gingerbread Kahlua

-1 Packet Hot Cocoa Mix (I used Swiss Miss)

-1 1/2 Cups Hot/Boiling Water

-Chocolate Syrup (enough to create a

thin layer along the bottom of the mug)

-Mini Marshmallows

-Whipped Cream (for garnish)

-Maraschino Cherry (for garnish)

-Sprinkles (for garnish)

1.Boil some water, enough to make however many drinks you intend on. Add chocolate syrup to a mug, and then the hot cocoa mix. Once the water has boiled, pour it in the mug as well and stir until everything is well mixed.
2. Add in the kahlua, and vodka. Give the drink and stir. Top with desired amount of marshmallows. Then Garnish with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry. Enjoy, and be merry!