Pina Colada (Protein Shake)

From Eating for Life
Makes 1 smoothie

12 oz cold water
1 serving vanilla protein powder
1/2 C unsweetened pineapple chunks
1/4 t coconut extract
6 ice cubes

Pour cold water in blender. Then add protein powder and blend on medium speed for 15 seconds.

Add pineapple chunks and coconut extract; blend for 30 more seconds. Add ice cubes and blend on high speed until smooth, about 30 more seconds.

Pour into a tall glass, serve and enjoy!

Pao de Queijo

These are like the little bread/cheese roll things that you can find at the Brazilian restaurants in the area like Tucanos and Rodizio Grill. They're amazing, and once you start eating them, you'll keep eating!

From Our Best Bites
Makes 22-24 mini muffin sized

1 large egg
1/2 C milk
1/4 C canola oil
1 C tapioca flour (no substitutions!!!)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place egg, milk, oil, tapioca flour, and salt in blender an dblend until smooth. Add the cheese and pulse 2 times. The batter will be VERY runny. Immediately pour batter into a mini muffin tin, filling each well about 3/4 full, or just slightly less.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before removing rolls from pan. Serve warm as they do not reheat well.
**Notes from Em**
Tapioca flour was kind of a pain for me to find. I looked at all the grocery stores, and eventually found it at a natural foods type store. (Good Earth for those in the area) You CANNOT use any other kind of flour. It won't turn out right at all.

Classic Dinner Rolls

From Williams-Sonoma

Makes 16 rolls

Great dinner rolls should be featherlight, not too sweet, and, above all, a good accompaniment to almost any meal. Despite the name, these breads could be called classic breakfast, lunch, or dinner rolls, as they are perfect for dipping in sauce at supper, for serving alongside a salad at midday, or for spreading with jam first thing in the morning.

1 package (2 1/2 t) active dry yeast

1/4 C warm water (105-115 F)

1 C whole milk

2 T sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature, plus 1 egg, beaten

6 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

2 t salt

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Using a wire whisk, beat in the milk, sugar, 2 eggs, butter, flour, and salt just until mixed, then stir with your hand or a wooden spoon until a rough mass forms. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, dusting the work surface with flour to keep the dough from sticking, 5-7 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky

Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, 1 1/2-2 hours.

Line a half-sheet pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment (baking) paper.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Cut it in half with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. Cut each half into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a round ball. Place the balls on the prepared pan, spacing them evenly, cover loosely with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until puffy and pillow-soft when gently squeezed, 30-40 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 400 F.

Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg, bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Variations:

Cut the complete dough in half as directed. Use one half for clover-leaf rolls and the other half for the pull-apart rolls.

For the clover-leaf rolls, heavily butter a 12-cup muffin pan. Cut the piece of dough into 12 equal pieces, then cut each small piece into thirds. You will have 36 plum-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball. Place 3 balls next to one another in each prepared muffin cup. When all the cups are full, cover the muffin pan loosely with a kitchen towel then proceed as directed.

For the pull-apart rolls, heavily butter a 9-inch cake pan. Cut the pieces of dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a ball. Put the balls in the cake pan, placing 7 balls around the edge and 1 ball in the center. Cover the cake pan loosely with a kitchen towel, then proceed as directed.

Sugar Cookies

Tis' the season to start making sugar cookies! This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. It comes from Lisa Talbot, one of my mother's neighbors. The sour cream may seem a strange addition, but it guarantee's nice and moist cookies.

1 C shortening

1 C sugar

1 egg

1/2 t vanilla or lemon extract

1/2 C sour cream

3 C flour

1/2 t salt

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda.

Combine shortening and sugar in mixer; cream well. Add egg, vanilla, and sour cream; mix until combined. Add remaining ingredients and mix until dough is well formed. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. While oven is heating turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes then transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 6 minutes. Cool completely before frosting or decorating.

Chicken Pot Pie

From Williams-Sonoma
Serves 4-6

1 C sliced peeled carrots
1 C shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen peas
1 C corn kernels
2 T unsalted butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 lbs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 T chopped shallot
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C chicken stock
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 C half-n-half
1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 t water
Basic Pie Dough rolled into a 9-inch round

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bring a saucepan three-fourth full of lightly salted water to a boil. Using a pasta insert or large sieve, immerse the carrots and peas in the water and boil until crisp tender, 3-5 minutes. Lift out, drain, and transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the corn, boiling for 1 minute. Set aside.

In a large frying pan with a lid over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the chicken and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the shallot and cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Stir in the stock, wine, half-n-n half, and parsley and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce eh heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the carrots, peas, and corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Brush some of the egg yolk mixture in a 1-inch border around the edge of the pie dough round. Place the round, egg side down, over the filling and press the dough to the rim of the dish. Trim off any overhanging dough and brush the surface lightly with the remaining egg yolk mixture. Cut a few slits in the center of the top with the tip of a knife.

Place the dish on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

**Notes from Em**

I substitute the vegetables around also using peas and green beans. So long as you have a total of 3 cups, and it's a veg that won't mush (like zucchini) you should be fine to use just about
anything.

When adding the liquids into your chicken/butter/flour mixture, do it really slowly like when you're making a roux. This will help to make sure the sauce gets nice and thick.

Basic Pie Dough

This is a slightly more savory dough than the recipe I use for actual pies. Use this one for pot pies etc.

From Williams-Sonoma
Makes one 9-inch round

1 1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1 T sugar
Salt
1/2 C cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 T ice water

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and 1/4 t salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add the water 1 T at a time, and mix with a fork just until the dough pulls together.

Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball, and flatten into a disk. (Although many dough recipes call for chilling the dough at this point, this dough should be rolled out immediately for best results). Lightly flour a work surface, then flatten the disk with 6-8 gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn. Dust the top of the dough or the rolling pin with flour as needed, then roll, lifting and turning the dough and dusting the surface as needed, into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

From Williams-Sonoma
Makes 4 Main-Course or 6 First-Course servings

2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 C freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and coarsely ground pepper
1 lb dried spaghetti
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
1/4-lb piece pancetta cut into small cubes
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1/2 C dry white wine
Generous handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a warmed large, shallow bowl, add the cheese, and whisk to blend well.

Generously salt the boiling water, add the spaghetti, and cook until al dente, 7-9 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the pancetta and saute until just starting to become crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half.

Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it, and add it to the bowl with the egg cheese mixture. Toss quickly (this will heat the eggs and leave a creamy coating on each strand of pasta). Add the pancetta with all of the pan juices.

Season to taste with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Add the parsley and toss again. Serve at once.

**Notes from Em**
It was impossible to find pancetta, so I substituted bacon, and it was still really good. Next time I make it I will leave out the parsley (my husband I don't like it), and maybe add some halved cherry tomatoes just for fun.