Cook and Bake With Amra

Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup packed light-brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup milk 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup hot water ¼ cup sour cream Coconut Walnut Topping 1/2 cup evaporated milk (regular fat) 2 large egg yolks 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar 1/4 cup salted butter , diced into pieces 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3/4 cup chopped walnuts   German Chocolate Frosting Ingredients: 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 6 tbsp salted butter, softened  3 oz cream cheese, softened  1 1/4 cups powdered sugar  2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder  2-4 tsp heavy cream, as needed Instructions FOR THE CUPCAKES : Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. A...

Ingredients: No- stick spray 1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour 3/4 Tsp. baking soda 1/4 Tsp. salt 1 Cup sugar 3/4 Cup pure vegetable oil 3 Tbsp. buttermilk 2 Large eggs 1 Cup mashed ripe bananas 1/2 Cup chopped pecans Directions: 1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray pan with no-stick spray.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl; mix well. 2. Add sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, blend well. 3. Add bananas and pecans.  Mix well. Pour batter into prepared pan. 4. Bake 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Cool 1 hour on wire rack. Wrap tightly and store in fridge.

Ingredients: 4 Boneless chicken breasts 1 3/4 Cup Swanson chicken broth 1/2 Cup orange juice 1/2 Cup chopped onion 1 Cup uncooked regular rice 3 Tbsp. chopped parsley Directions: 1. Cook chicken in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat 10 minutes or until browned.  Set chicken aside. 2. Add the broth, orange juice, onion, and rice. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. 3. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until the chicken and rice are cooked. Stir in parsley.

Ingredients: 3/4 Cup walnuts, diced  1/4 Cup plain bread crumbs 2 Tbsp. flour  1 1/2 Tsp. dry basil leaves 3/4 Tsp. dry rosemary leaves 1/2 Tsp. salt 1 Egg 2 1/2 Pounds chicken pieces Directions: In shallow dish, combine walnuts, bread crumbs, flour, basil, rosemary and salt.  In another shallow dish, lightly beat egg.  Roll chicken in egg, then in walnut mixture.  Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until crust is browned, or until chicken is done.

Ingredients: 2 1/4 Cups all purpose flour 2 1/2 Tsp. baking powder 1/2 Tsp. salt 1 3/4 Cups packed sugar 3/4 Cup butter or margarine, softened 3 Large eggs 1 Tsp. vanilla extract 2 Cups Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15 X 10-inch jelly-roll pan. 2. Combine flour, powder and salt in small bowl.  Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla extract; gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in morsels. Spread into prepared pan. 3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 36 brownies

Ingredients: 1 Pounds potatoes 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tsp. rosemary 1/4 Tsp. salt 1/4 Tsp. pepper 4 Tomatoes 1/2 Cup olives 3 Cloves garlic  1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 450. Lightly grease baking pan; place potatoes in pan. In a small bowl, combine oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper; drizzle over potatoes, tossing to coat. 2. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once. Add tomatoes, olives, and garlic, tossing to combine. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and brown on the edges and tomatoes are soft. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:  1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix 1/2 Cup butter or margarine, softened 1/4 Tsp. mint extract 6 Drops green food color 1 Egg 1 Cup creme de menthe baking chips 1 Cup semisweet chocolate chunks Directions: 1. Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl, until soft dough forms.  Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. 2. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Cool 3 minutes;; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Serve warm or cool completely.  Store tightly covered at room temperature. Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients: 6 Cups coarsely chopped cucumbers 2 Large tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 Bunch scallions, chopped 1 7-ounce package feta, crumbled, divided 1/2 Cup coarsely chopped fresh mint 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice Salt and fresh ground black pepper Directions: Combine all vegetables, half of feta, and mint in a large bowl.  Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper.  Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle remaining half of feta over and serve.

Ingredients: 1/2 Cup olive oil 1/2 Cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 Cup minced garlic  1/4 Cup steak seasoning 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 Tsp.  dried basil 1/2 Tsp. Italian seasoning 4 (1/2) pound New York strip steaks Directions: 1.  In a bowl , mix the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, steak seasoning, red wine vinegar, basil, and Italian seasoning.  Pour into a large resealable plastic bag.  Pierce steaks on all sides with a fork, and place in the bag.  Gently shake to coat.  Seal bag and marinate steaks a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator.   2. Preheat grill for high heat. 3. Lightly oil the grill grate.  Discard marinade.  Place steaks on the grill, and cook 7 minutes on each side, or desired doneness.

Cream Cheese Swirl Layer 1 Package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1 Egg  1/2 Cup sugar 1 Tbsp. all purpose flour 1 Tbsp. vanilla Brownie Layer 1 Box Betty Crocker original supreme premium brownie mix Water, vegetable oil, and eggs called for on brownie mix box 2 Tsp. instant espresso coffee powder 1 Bottle (1 oz) red food color Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees ( 325 for dark or nonstick pan).  Grease bottom of 13X9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray.  In small bowl, beat cream cheese swirl layer with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.  Set aside.  2. Make brownie batter as directed on box, using water, oil, eggs and adding espresso coffee powder and red food color; mix well until batter turns rich red color.  Spread butter in pan. 3. Dollop cream cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly on top of batter.  With knife, cut through mixture a few times to marble. 4.  Bake as directed on br...

I found this recipe inside the Philadelphia cream cheese box and it sounded delicious. Ingredients: 1 Cup honey maid graham cracker crumbs 3/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted 3 Pkg. (8 oz. each) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened 1 Tsp. vanilla 3 Eggs 1 Cup whipping cream 2 Cups blueberries 1 Tbsp. lemon zest Directions: Heat oven to 325 Mix graham crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottoms of 18 paper-filled pan cups. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended.   Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.  Pour over crusts. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until centers are almost set.  Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours. Beat whipping cream with mixer on high speed unitl stiff peaks form; spread onto cheesecakes.  Top with blueberries and zest.

Ingredients: 1 Lb. ground round beef Salt & Pepper Garlic Powder 3/4 Cup minute rice 1 Egg Bread crumbs 1 Onion, diced Peppers Directions: Cook ground beef on stove top. In a dish combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rice, egg, bread crumbs, and onions. Mix well. Stuff peppers with the mix. Top the peppers with tomato sauce and place in pan to cook.  Fill with 3/4 Cup of water on the bottom. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or rice is cooked through.

Ingredients: 1 Tsp. dried basil, crushed 1 Tsp. dried oregano, crushed 1/4 Tsp. ground black pepper 1 Bay leaf 1 1.2 Cups dried medium egg noodles 2 Cups chopped cooked chicken 4 1/2 Cups chicken broth  1 Cup chopped onion 1 Cup sliced carrot 1 Cup sliced celery Directions: In a 3-quart saucepan combine broth, onion, carrot, celery, basil, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered for 5 minutes.   Stir in uncooked noodles.  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender but still firm and vegetables are just tender.  Discard bay leaf.  Stir in chicken; heat through.  To serve, ladle soup into bowls.   Makes 4 servings.  

Ingredients: 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 Can recipe starters creamy roasted garlic with chicken stock cooking sauce 3 Tablespoons lemon juice  Chopped fresh parsley, optional Grated lemon peel, optional Hot cooked rice, optional Directions: Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2 inch thick.  In small shallow dish, mix flour with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; dip each chicken breast into flour mixture, coating all sides. In 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken breasts in oil 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, or until brown.  In small bowl, mix cooking sauce and lemon juice. Pour sauce mixture over chicken.   Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut.  ...

Ingredients: 1/4  Cup red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces  1 Small garlic clove, peeled 1/2 Jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 Small red onion, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 Mango, peeled and pitted, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves 2 Teaspoons fresh lime juice  1 1/2 Teaspoons rice vinegar  1/2 Teaspoon honey Directions: Chop up all ingredients and transfer to a bowl.  Stir in the lime juice, vinegar, and honey.  Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.  If you don't use it right away put it in the fridge. It will taste the best when used the same day.

Ingredients: 1/4 Cup Parsley 1 Teaspoon herb chicken seasoning 1/2 Teaspoon grated lemon peel 1/2 Teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper 1/2 Teaspoon garlic salt 2 Tablespoons corn oil 3 1/2 lb. roasting chicken Directions: In small bowl, combine parsley, chicken seasoning, lemon peel, seasoned salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic salt and oil; blend well. Season inside of chicken with remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper and garlic salt.  Truss chicken using butcher's cord for roasting.  Rub outside of chicken with lemon mixture to coat evenly. Place chicken on bake pan/ drip tray of oven.  Roast in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 90 minutes, or until chicken tests done.  Meat thermometer should read 170 degrees or higher. Makes 4 to 5 servings