TWN's Favorite Recipes

Looking for an easy one dish dinner? Try Baked Macaroni Italiano! A delicious spin on your favorite comfort food, this mac and cheese recipe is sure to keep the whole family happy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups macaroni noodles
• 1 jar tomato sauce
• 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
• ½ packaged breadcrumbs
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cook macaroni and drain noodles.
• In a 1 ½ quart casserole dish, alternate layers of noodles, tomato sauce, and cheese. End with a layer of cheese.
• Mix breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle mixture over the top layer of cheese.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and lightly brown.

 

Contributed by Jamie Reed, Manager – Compliance & Billing.

Popsicles aren’t just for kids! Cool off with these Coconut Milk Strawberry-Banana Pops. They’re refreshing, healthy, and the perfect way to stay cool this summer.

Ingredients:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped and divided
• 1 medium banana, sliced
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 12 freezer pop molds or 12 paper cups (3 oz each) and wooden popsicle sticks

Instructions:

• Place coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups strawberries, banana, and maple syrup in a blender; cover and process until smooth.
• Divide the remaining strawberries among 12 molds or paper cups.
• Pour pureed mixture into molds or cups, filling 3/4 full.
• Top molds with holders. If using cups, top with foil and insert sticks through foil.
• Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

 

Contributed by Aubrey Villines, Marketing Communications Specialist.

Lemon, blueberry…two of our favorite spring flavors come together in this cool, creamy, and refreshing Lemon Blueberry Tart. It’s so good you won’t want to put your fork down!

Ingredients:

Blueberry Sauce –

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Shortbread Crust –

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

Filling –

• 1 (14 ounce) can of full fat sweetened condensed milk
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (1 lemon)
• 1 large egg yolk

 

Instructions:

• Blueberry Sauce: Using a fork, mix the cornstarch and lemon juice together in a small bowl until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside. Warm the blueberries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, mashing the blueberries as best you can against the bottom and sides of the pan to help break them up. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes as the sauce thickens, stirring and mashing the blueberries to break them up as desired. Remove sauce from heat and set aside at room temperature. Makes about 1/2 – 2/3 cup blueberry sauce and you’ll use about half for the swirl. (Reserve extra for garnish/serving.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to completely combine. Press dough firmly into a 9-inch tart pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven. Using a fork, poke a few holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust).
• Filling: Whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Pour into warm crust. Drop spoonfuls of the blueberry sauce all over the top, using about half of the sauce. Reserve the rest of the sauce for serving. Using a toothpick or knife, gently swirl the sauce and filling together.
• Bake for 17-19 minutes, just until the center of the tart no longer jiggles. Avoid over-baking. Err on the side of under-baking because the filling will also set up in the refrigerator.
• Remove tart from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 2 hours.
• Top with remaining blueberry sauce. Slice and serve.

 

Contributed by Aubrey Villines, Marketing Communications Specialist.

This winter, warm your bones with a pot of Double Roasted Chicken Soup. It’s easy, hearty, and is sure to satisfy the soul!

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of jumbo garlic, unpeeled
• 2 carrots
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large red bell pepper
• Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 cups shredded roasted chicken
• 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• Drippings from roast chicken (optional)
• Small handful fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut all vegetables to similar size.
• Toss vegetables and sprigs of rosemary in olive oil, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and top with kosher salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, turn once. Then bake for 20 more minutes or until the vegetables are golden brown.
• Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock and wine to a simmer in a large pot. Add chicken carcass, shredded chicken pieces, thyme (or poultry seasoning), oregano, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Remove chicken carcass.
• Chop roasted vegetables into bite sized pieces. Peel and mince garlic. Add vegetables and garlic to the pot and simmer 20-30 minutes. Skim most of the fat that has risen to surface.
• Serve topped with sprinkle of fresh parsley.

 

Contributed by Brit Lawrence, Digital Marketing Strategist.

Looking for a new holiday cookie to bake this year? Add these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies to the menu. They’re easy, festive, and Santa-approved!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white baking chips

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.
• Stir in cranberries and chips.
• Drop tablespoon-size amounts of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray or parchment paper.
• Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

*Makes approximately 3 dozen.

 

Contributed by Aubrey Villines, Marketing Communications Specialist.

Move over pumpkin spice! There’s a new fall flavor to savor. Make this caramel apple cake the next time you’re craving a sweet fall treat!

Ingredients:

For the cake –

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the caramel glaze –

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of white sugar, and the canola oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon of salt.
• Mix the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.
• Stir in the apples, nuts, and vanilla. Spoon into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let it cool while you prepare the glaze.
• For the glaze, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium low heat.
• Add ¼ cup each of brown and white sugar, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and stir for 2 minutes.
• Turn up the heat to medium high, pour in the cream, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
• Poke holes in the top of the cake with a skewer or toothpick and pour the glaze over the top. Let it settle for a few minutes before serving.

 

Contributed by Shellie Rojas, Channel Support/Marketing Specialist.

Labor Day will be here before you know it! Might as well start thinking about what you’ll bring to your end-of-summer get together. Keep things simple this year and make a charcuterie board. It’s easy, requires no cooking, and is one of the biggest food trends right now. Not sure where to start? Check out our tips below!

Choose your ingredients:

• Choose 2-3 types of meat – (a mix of mild to spicy)
• Choose 2-3 kinds of cheese (a mix of soft/hard cheeses and mild/sharp flavors)
• Choose 2-3 seasonal fruits (a mix of fresh and dried)
• Choose 2-3 types of spreads (a mix of sweet and salty options)
• Choose 2-3 types of crackers and/or bread
• Choose 1-2 extras to fill in and garnish your board (chocolate, nuts, fresh herbs, flowers)

* You can plan for an average of 3-4 slices of meat and 1-2 ounces of cheese per person. Make it Labor Day themed by choosing red, white, and blue items, such as pepperoni, salami, brie, white cheddar, blueberries, dried strawberries, raspberry jam, etc.

Make your board:
Select a board. Start with the larger items and fill in from there. Add any small bowls you may use for spreads. Then, add your cheese, separating them from one another. Place your crackers/bread close to the cheese. Next, add your meat and then your fruit. Fill in any remaining gaps with extra ingredients, such as chocolate, nuts, etc. Right before serving, add your spreads to the bowls.

Contributed By: Aubrey Villines, Marketing Communications Specialist