The ASA Cookbook

The ASA Cookbook Recipes from the Girls who Wear the Rubies and Pearls Written by Mia Guariano

The ASA Cookbook

The ASA Cookbook

Recipes From the Girls who Wear the Rubies and Pearls Written by Mia Guariano Adapted from “The Moment You Realize You’re an Adult” by Melissa Stillman

Artwork by Jessica McDonald

Contents Introduction | 6 Appetizers | 14 Breakfast for Dinner | 26 Entrees | 38 Sides | 54 Bread | 64 Desserts | 72 Information | 88

Acknowledgements There are so many people who helped bring this book together. Obviously, we have to start with Melissa Stillman. She is the best big, and best friend I have ever had. Without her, there would be no cookbook, but also no “me.” I am who I am today with her guidance and energy. Her passion for our organization is absolutely contagious and clearly rubbed off on me. She does so much behind the scenes for ASA, and whenever I have questions or need advice, I know she is there with an answer that goes beyond my own knowledge. If there is anyone I am specifically dedicating this book to, it is her. It’s amazing that I get to call my big my best friend. You and Kiley are my soul sisters.

Thank you to all who have helped contribute to this book through recipe submission, recipe testing, or creating unique art for the pages ahead. The artists include Jess McDonald, Hannah Spector, Catherine Kohl, and Kiley Gallant. I’d also like to exend a greater thank you to Kiley, who helped edit the text for the book. Your help is appreciated and I love all of you dearly. I hope you had fun!

There are a few family members I would like to thank, the first of those being my father.

Dad, thank you for paying my dues every month, because I literally would not have any of this content to create without being allowed in the sorority. I’d also like to thank you for passing down the creative genes; I do owe my talents to you, and thank you for always inspiring me to create. Next, I need to thank my grandfather, or Poppers, for his continuous inspiration. My passion for food started when I realized all of the giant binders in the living room were full of old cooking magazines and I wanted to take them all home with me.

Your home-cooked italian meals have taught me to not just eat, but do so with love and enthusiasm. I love you and Mema so much. Of course, I need to also thank my stepdad,

Bob, for teaching me to be humble and that I can accomplish anything with determination.

You have helped me more than you will ever know. Also, thank you for providing me with my camera and lenses. Lastly, thank you to my mother. You do so much for the family without asking for anything in return. All of your hard work pushes me to work just as hard, and to be thankful for all I have. I love you all!

I also need to give a little thank you to Patricia Cost, who taught me all I need to know about InDesign and book-making. Who knew that a one semester, 3-hour a week class would have such an impact on me. This leads me into my next gratitude extension: the Photographic Sciences program, both the faculty and fellow peers. I love my major so very much and have always felt so supported in all of my classes. Having the opportunity to combine my love for science and art has pushed me to use my creativity in ways I never thought I could, especially with this book. Thank you all!

I would also like to extend a big thank you to all of the alumnae of Gamma Iota chapter. Serving as the Vice President of Alumnae and Heritage has opened my eyes to how valuable our time is as a sisterhood. It’s inevitable that we are all going to mess up, but the alumnae show us that we can get back up and continue progressing towards the amazing group we are. Being able to communicate with all of the alumnae and having their neverending support has shaped a special place in my heart for our chapter’s history. So to all of the alumnae, I am eternally grateful,

and to the current sisters, and the sisters who may not even be sisters yet, cherish the network you have access to. We all go through the same process; we are all active at one point, and we will all be alumnae afterwards.

To the advisors, how could I not thank you? Sheila, Sue, Chelsea, Hayley, Danielle, Donna, and Steph- you are all so wonderful for putting up with all the shenanigans that go on with our sisterhood and you are all always such a strong anchor for us to rely on. I especially would like to thank Sheila for teaching me to have grace and empathy for others, and to Sue for always offering to help communicate with alum and make food for homecoming!

And to the current executive board: some of my biggest supporters. Thank you all (Cat, Brook, Melissa, Ava, Grace M., and Nat) for dealing with all my questions and rambling about the book. Through it all, you’ve been so patient and accepting of my ideas. This has, for sure, been the wildest year, and I am so proud of our growth and poise to remain collected during this time.

Lastly, I would of course like to thank the active sisterhood. Before ASA, I was just a shy, vanilla girl who, looking back, was not really “living”. One of my favorite quotes from the creed is “to love life and joyously live each day to its ultimate good.” Before Gamma Iota, there was no ultimate good. I just had days that passed, where I was waiting for my purpose, but didn’t know it yet. Here I am, over a year into my membership, and every single day is good because I have learned to make it good. The good days can be bad, but it’s knowing I have a strong sisterhood behind me that reminds me that the days I am alive and breathing will always be well spent. I have learned to look at the best in situations, and the best in each and every person, through the network or strong women we are. You are all my sunshine on a rainy day, but you’ve made me also enjoy the rainy days.

I am so proud to be a Ladybug!

About this Book...

It’s no secret, ASA’s love to eat. From Sunday Night Dinners, to Open Sisterhood Socials, to late nights snacking at the house, we’re always eating. To me, eating is not just about how good the food is, or how intricate the meal may be, it’s about who you’re with. I cook and bake a lot, but it all means nothing if I’m not sharing what I poured my heart and soul into with the ones who matter most. The moment I see the smile on the faces of my sisters after they take their first bite makes it all worth it. So, here you are, a woman full of poise and purpose, but maybe no knowledge of how to cook anything besides ramen and a piece of toast. We all start there. So when you make these recipes, do not worry about how great it tastes (because trust me, it’s gonna taste good, otherwise it would not be in the book), but rather practice our value of enjoyment and take the time to pour your love into the dish you create.

Grab a sister, friend, or your family and recreate one of these dishes together. Let these recipes symbolize how far you’ve come; your growth. Maybe you remember eating one of these dishes at a Sunday night dinner, and now look at you­— you’re a grown up! You can do this! Remember where you came from, and remember how far you’ve come. Cherish all the moments in between, and always indulge in a good recipe from your sisters. Alpha Love forever and always!

-Mia Guariano (Spring 2019)

Handy Tools Medium and large pot Medium and large pan Casserole dish (glass) Whisk Baking spatula Standard spatula Set of various sized mixing bowls Rimmed baking sheet Parchment paper Slow-cooker Grater Chef’s knife Measuring cups Stand mixer Masher

Handy Ingredients Olive oil or good quality oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Fresh lemons Lemon juice Good quality block of hard cheese Flour Baking soda/powder Granulated sugar Milk or cream Dried pasta Butter or margarine Various canned vegetables Basic spices Fresh eggs

Artwork by Catherine Kohl

Appetizers Best Ever Guacamole Cucumber Salad Tangy Black Bean Salsa Bruschetta Buffalo Chicken Dip 3-Ingredient Meatballs Spinach and Artichoke Dippers Bacon and Caramelized Onion Bites Super Duper Cheesy Dip

Best Ever Guacamole Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 Guacamole is always a classic crowd pleaser! For this recipe, it is always best to use fresh squeezed lime versus pre-bought lime juice. Trust me, it’ll be worth it! If you don’t finish all this guac in one sitting, do not fret. If you want to keep your guacamole from turning into that yucky brown color, simply place your leftover guacamole in a storage container and pat it down firmly with a spoon so it’s nice and flat on top. Add about 1/2 inch of cold water on top. Place the lid on the storage container and store it in the fridge. That’s it! When you want to enjoy the guacamole, drain the water off the top, give it a stir and you’re good to go. Enjoy with some friends, family, or by yourself. I personally love eating this guac with the Tostitos Hint of Lime chips.

Ingredients: 3 ripe avocados 1/2 small onion 2 roma tomatoes 3 tbsp fresh cilantro 1 jalepeño pepper 2 garlic cloves 1 lime, juiced 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Finely dice the onion and jalapeño. Make sure to remove the seeds from the pepper beforehand so it is not too spicy. Set aside.

2. Dice the tomatoes, mince the garlic cloves, and chop up the cilantro. Set aside.

3. Slice the avocados in half, remove the pit and skin and place in a mixing bowl.

4. Mash the avocado with a fork and make it as chunky or smooth as you’d like.

5. Add all of the ingredients, including the lime and sea salt, and stir together.

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Cucumber Salad Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 2 There is nothing like a fresh cucumber salad on a sunny summer day. Or any day, really.

This refreshing, light salad will brighten up any lunch or dinner and you’ll feel great eating it. The addition of the tomatoes and avocado transform this dish into a summery treat to be enjoyed year-round. This is especially nice, considering the Rochester winters and springs can be brutal. I love making this dish for myself or to eat with some friends. As always, make sure not to skip out on the fresh ingredients, such as the juice of a lemon and ripe avocados. You could even add in some croutons or crusty bread and transform this dish into a makeshift panzanella salad. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 1 english cucumber 4 roma tomatoes 3 ripe avocados 1/2 red onion 1/4 cup fresh cilantro 1 lemon, juiced salt, to taste pepper, to taste 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

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Directions:

1. Slice and dice the cucumber and tomatoes. Set aside.

2. Slice the avocado and carefully remove the pit. Scoop out the inside and dice. Set aside.

3. Peel the onion and remove the tops and slice.

4. Chop the cilantro and place in a large salad bowl with the previous ingredients.

5. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve in a bowl.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

Tangy Black Bean Salsa Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4-5 Salsas come in all kinds of varieties, but this black bean version takes the cake. If you love your beans, you’ll adore this simple recipe. Beans themselves are pretty healthy, but when you add in all the other ingredients, such as cucumber, peppers, and radishes, this app is a showstopper. And the best part is that it’s also vegan! A lot of the ingredients can be increased or decreased to your liking. Personally, I think adding a little diced mango to this salsa would be awesome! Serve up this dip with some high-quality tortilla chips for your next get-together.

Ingredients: 1 can black beans 1 large tomato 1 medium cucumber 1 medium red onion 1 small sweet yellow pepper 6 radishes 1 jalapeño pepper (optional) 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Rinse and drain the black beans.

2. Seed and chop the tomato, cucumber, and peppers.

3. Chop the red onion and radishes. Mince the cilantro.

4. In a large bowl, combine the beans, tomato, cucumber onion, yellow pepper, radishes, jalapeño, and cilantro.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

Pour over the bean mixture and toss to coat.

6. Cover and refridgerate for at least one hour. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

3 tbsp red wine vinegar 3 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp pepper

APPETIZERS

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Bruschetta Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggeo, Fall 2018 | Serves 6-8 Bruschetta is a classic italian appetizer consisting of a fresh tomato mixture served on top of crusty bread. It’s light, delightful, and is not too bad for you, making it the perfect addition to a summer party. Grace’s family, like mine, is very italian, so it’s no surprise that we both love this dish. I hope you enjoy it as well and get the chance to serve it at your next get-together!

Ingredients: 1 cup tomatoes, minced & drained 2 tbsp Basil, slivered 2 tbsp green onion, minced 1 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for bread

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together, besides the mozzarella and baguette, and let it sit at room temperature for at least one hour.

2. Strain all the excess juices.

3. Add olive oil and garlic powder to the bread slices and toast until golden.

4. Add mozzarella or goat cheese to the top if desired.

5. Top with the room temperature ingredients and serve.

Splash of balsamic vinegar Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) Salt & pepper to taste Mozzarella (optional) Baguette bread, sliced Garlic powder

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Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 5 Buffalo Chicken Dip, or buff dip, has always been a favorite in the sisterhood. Whether it be for recruitment, senior wills, or late-night cravings, buff dip is always there for us.

With just 5 ingredients, this yummy dip can be whipped together pretty quickly. Melissa’s recipe can even be done in the microwave for when you really are craving it! This dip can easily be spiced up literally with more hot sauce, or you could top it with some blue cheese crumbles for an elevated taste. We love you, buff dip!

Ingredients:

Directions (oven):

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (can be canned)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Spoon into a shallow 1-quart baking dish.

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3. Serve with chips, pretzels, bread, etc.!

1/2 cup hot sauce or buffalo sauce 1/2 cup ranch dressing 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

2. Bake 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir.

Directions (microwave):

1. Microwave cream cheese until softened, about 1 minute.

2. Add all of the ingredients to a large microwave-safe bowl and mix. Add more ranch or hot sauce to taste.

3. Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute.

4. Serve with chips, pretzels, bread, etc.!

APPETIZERS

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3-Ingredient Meatballs Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Serves 16 Yes, you read that right. Three. Ingredients. These meatballs are so easy to make, but they taste so amazing. Trust me, you’ll be fooling people into thinking you’re a master chef. It may seem weird to use grape jelly with meatballs, but when combined with the chili sauce, it creates a sweet and sour, somewhat spicy combo that goes well with the meatballs. The consistency of the jelly melts down with the sauce to form a perfectly sticky sauce around the meatballs. These are always a hit during recruitment season!

Make sure you have your slow cooker on hand.

Ingredients: 64 oz package frozen meatballs 24 oz chili sauce 32 oz grape jelly

Directions:

1. Cook the meatballs in the oven according to the package.

2. Turn on the slow cooker to high setting.

3. Add in the meatballs, then the chili sauce and jelly and give it a good stir to combine.

4. Cook for 2-3 hours or until the chili sauce and jelly are completely combined and hot.

5. Set the slow cooker to warm and serve.

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Spinach and Artichoke Dippers Recipe Submitted by Violet Young, Spring 2018 | Serves 12 I remember when Violet made these for the Superbowl and I could not stop eating them. What could be better than a cheese stick and spinach and artichoke dip, together?

Although these require some time to make, the result is completely worth it. Not to mention, making them is actually kind of fun! Alternatively, you could make these with the buffalo chicken dip on page 21. Just follow the same freezing and frying instructions and you’re golden! Recipe adapted from Tasty.

Ingredients: 8 oz softended cream cheese 1/2 cup cooked and drained spinach 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 2 cups flour 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs Canola oil, for frying

Directions:

1. Thoroughly mix the cream cheese, spinach, mozzarella, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a medium sized bowl.

2. Transfer the mixture to a square baking pan lined with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly in the dish.

3. Freeze for 30 minutes.

4. Invert the frozen spinach dip onto a cutting board and remove the parchment paper.

5. Slice the block into 1/2 inch strips, then slice the strips in half into sticks.

6. Place the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Dip the spinach dip sticks into the flour, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs, then back into the eggs, and finally back into the breadcrumbs. Set the breaded sticks aside on a plate.

7. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Fry the breaded sticks for about 30 seconds to a minute, until golden brown. Let cool for a bit then enjoy!

APPETIZERS

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Bacon and Caramelized Onion Bites Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Serves 16 I made these for recruitment last spring and they were quite a hit! A little tedious to make, but with the help of some amazing sisters, the task was both fun and delicious (how could you not nibble on the crispy bacon bits while making these?) This is definitely a staple for more recruitments and makes a great dish to bring to a party!

Ingredients: 1/2 pound bacon 3 white onions 4 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp dry cooking wine 2 tbsp salt 1 tbsp pepper 2 packages premade biscuit dough

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Directions:

1. Slice your onions into moon-shaped slivers.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt half of the butter. In addition, add half the olive oil.

3. Add half the onions, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add in half of the wine to deglaze and make sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom. Cook for another 15 minutes or until onions are soft, brown in color, and fragrant. Set aside.

5. Repeat with the other half of the onions and ingredients above.

6. Let your cooked onions cool completely.

7. While the onions are cooling, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Place your bacon strips on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes or until crispy. Let cool and chop into small pieces. Set the oven to 350 degrees.

8. Grease a baking sheet or casserole dish.

9. Open the biscuit dough and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and roll out to about Âź-inch thick. Fill each biscuit piece with a heaping tablespoon of the onions and top with a few pieces of bacon, then wrap to form a ball. Place in the greased dish. Repeat until biscuit dough is gone, placing each ball next to one another, loosely.

10. Butter the tops of the balls and cook for about 20-25 minutes in the oven until golden brown on the top. Let cool for 5 minutes.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

Super Duper Cheesy Dip Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Fall 2017 | Serves 12-15 I whipped up this concoction of cheeses into a makeshift-dip for spring 2020 recruitment.

The dip was meant to go with the onion bites, however, being that the dip is much thicker than I anticipated, that was quite hard to do. But do not let this stop you from making these two delectable apps together. There are many options to combat this “problem.” For one, you could thin out the dip by adding some milk. Alternatively, you could make the dip into a spread so that your guests can smear this ooey-gooey deliciousness onto the onion bites. And, of course, your last option is to put this dip on anything and everything more than the onion bites. I found the dip to go really well with some homemade pita bread or tortilla chips. But come on, it’s cheese, it’s good with virtually anything!

Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese 1+1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder Bacon bits (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave.

3. Combine the cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella in a medium to large, oven save serving bowl.

4. Add in salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder and mix. If the mixture seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of milk and mix.

5. Smooth out in the bowl and top with additional cheese of your choice.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

Top with bacon bits if desired. Serve hot!

2 tbsp milk (optional)

APPETIZERS

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Artwork by Jessica McDonald

Breakfast for Dinner Chapter Fluffy, Buttermilk Recipe Pancakes Recipe French Toast Recipe Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomato Quiche Recipe Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Quiche Recipe Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe Plant-Based Oatmeal Recipe Sour Cream Coffee Cake Potato Cheese Casserole

Fluffy, Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 Melissa swears by these pancakes. Every time I bring up this cookbook, she tells me that the pancakes are her favorite and they always turn out so great. As my big, I know I can trust her with anything, but especially food. There’s really nothing I love more than bonding over food with my sisters. Feel free to add whatever you want to these hotcakes; my favorite add-ins are chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, or blueberries. Don’t forget the syrup!

Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 cups buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

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Directions:

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract just until combined. Some small lumps are okay.

3. Let pancake batter rest for 10 minutes.

4. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.

5. Spray with non-stick cooking spray OR brush with butter or oil.

6. Ladle 1/3-1/2 cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake.

7. Flip the pancakes over when small bubbles appear on the surface and continue cooking on the opposite side until golden brown.

8. Serve with butter and syrup.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

French Toast Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Makes 4 Slices Growing up, french toast was always something my mom made on the weekends.

Completely doused in syrup, this treat was always a favorite, and I still love when she makes it. This recipe, submitted by Melissa, takes me back to all the times eating this decadent dish on Saturday mornings. Although you can use normal sandwich bread, I find that using something a little more hefty such as brioche or challah bread (see page 68) tastes delightful. I also love topping this with some cinnamon and powdered sugar to make it look, and taste, extra pretty!

Ingredients: 4 slices of bread 1 egg, completely beaten 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup milk Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients, besides the bread, together in a shallow bowl.

2. Melt a little butter or margarine in a skillet or frying pan.

3. Dip the bread in the bowl, completely coating both sides.

4. Cook on skillet, and flip when each side is done!

5. Top with butter, syrup, and a dash of cinnamon.

1 tsp butter or margarine

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

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Goat Cheese, Spinach, and Tomato Quiche Recipe Submitted by Susan Dybas | Serves 8 These two quiches are amazing! I remember when Sue brought them for Homecoming in 2019 and Melissa and I could not stop eating them. I love how fresh and light this goat cheese, spinach, and tomato variation is, while the caramelized onion quiche on the adjacent page is so rich, savory, and delicious. Both of these are worth making for your next brunch party, or as breakfast for dinner. Gruyere quiche recipe adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients: 1 large Russet potato, sliced into very thin rounds 8 large eggs 1/4 cup skim milk 1 tsp Italian seasoning 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 Roma tomato, sliced 2 cups fresh baby spinach, tightly packed 3 oz goat cheese

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Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray. Layer the potato rounds on the bottom and sides of the pan in a single layer. With the remaining potato rounds, cover any holes in the potato layer (if you don’t cover all the holes, no worries). Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs and milk until smooth. Add in the seasonings and whisk until well-combined. When the potatoes are done par-baking, layer the spinach on top of the potatoes and the goat cheese on top of the spinach in small chunks. Gently pour the egg mixture over the top. Layer the tomatoes on top of the egg mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

4. If desired, broil the quiche for 1-2 minutes to brown the top slightly. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Quiche Recipe Submitted by Susan Dybas | Serves 6

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.

2. To prepare the crust, put the oats, flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 3 times to combine.

Add the butter and pulse about 12 times, until you get a pebbly course texture. Add the buttermilk and pulse 3 to 5 times more to combine. Form the mixture into a ball and place it between 2 large pieces of waxed paper. Roll out into a circle about 10 inches in diameter.

3. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Transfer the crust, still on the other piece of waxed paper to the pie dish, then remove the waxed paper from the top. Press the crust gently into the dish. Bake for 9 minutes, then let cool.

4. To prepare the filling, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

5. Transfer the onions to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their water and begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the onions back to the pan, stir in the salt, pepper, mustard and thyme.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup flour 1/4 tsp salt 3 tsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3 tsp low-fat buttermilk 4 tsp olive oil 1 large onion 8 oz mixed mushrooms 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tsp dry mustard 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves 3 eggs 3 egg whites 1 cup evaporated fatfree milk 2/3 cup grated Gruyere cheese

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Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Quiche (continued) 6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, and evaporated milk.

7. Sprinkle the cheese into the pie crust. Top with the mushroom-onion mixture and pour the egg mixture on top. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges and serving.

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Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Serves 4 This. Bacon. Is. Addicting! It might sound strange, but adding the sticky sweetness to the bacon is so amazing. Plus, cooking bacon in the oven is much easier than cooking in a pan. There’s no mess or constantly monitoring the bacon for burning; it always turns out even. And, theres no splattering! My mom has been making this bacon for years, and every time I make it for sisters, they can’t get enough of it.

Ingredients: 1 pound thick cut bacon ¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark) ½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Lay the strips of bacon on the sheet in a single layer, making sure not to overlap any pieces.

3. Cook on the lower rack of the oven for 10 minutes.

4. Carefully sprinkle the brown sugar over the bacon in an even layer, followed by the pepper. No need to flip the bacon.

5. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, making sure to watch frequently for burning. This time may vary depending on how thick cut the bacon is and how crispy you like it.

6. Remove from the sheet and cool on paper towel lined plates. Carefully remove the aluminum foil from the sheets and dispose with the grease, or save the grease for other cooking.

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER

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Plant-Based Oatmeal Recipe Submitted by Rhiannon Jimenez, Spring 2020 | Serves 2 I wanted to make sure to include some vegan options in this book for all those who don’t eat animal products, so I reached out to the lovely Rhiannon for her recommendation.

I think this recipe fits in great, as it features many ingredients already present in a lot of recipes. Plus, it’s quite healthy. I’ve never been a huge fan of oatmeal, but I love this and feel great eating it!

Ingredients: 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cups oats 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup soymilk 1 apple 1 banana 2 tbsp flax seeds or chia seeds 1 tbsp peanut butter

Directions:

1. Mash the banana and cut the apple to your liking.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oats, water, and soymilk on medium heat.

3. Toss in the banana and apple and mix, then season with cinnamon.

4. Add the flax or chia seeds and more soymilk if needed.

5. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. Top with the peanut butter, nuts, and more cinnamon!

Additional nuts or seeds for topping

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Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggeo, Fall 2018 | Makes 1 large loaf When Grace submitted this recipe (or any of her recipes), I knew it was going to be a good one. Coffee cake has always been a favorite and can easily feed a group of hungry sisters with a sweet tooth. This recipe yeilds a delicious, moist texture that is so satisfying, thanks to the sour cream. Don’t worry, the coffee cake won’t taste like sour cream!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup margarine 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk Topping ingredients: 1/3 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 3 tbsp butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together the topping ingredients in a separate bowl, then grease a bundt pan.

3. In a large bowl, mix the margarine, sugar and vanilla until creamy.

4. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sour cream and mix.

5. Pour half the batter into the pan, then sprinkle half of the topping onto the batter. Carefully pour the remaining batter into the pan.

6. Sprinkle the remaining topping evenly over the batter then bake for 30 minutes.

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Potato Cheese Casserole Recipe Submitted by Catherine Kohl, Spring 2018 | Serves 12-15 Potato + Cheese + Oven = LOVE. This simple recipe falls into the breakfast category for me, but can be served as a side dish for any meal. I’m so glad Cat sent me this special family recipe and I can’t wait to make this for the next Homecoming brunch event! This would also be great with some bacon bits served over the top.

Ingredients: 16 oz sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 6 chopped scallions 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese 32 oz cubed hash brown potatoes (frozen bag)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix sour cream, soup, and 3/4 of the chopped onions in a large casserole dish.

3. Add 8 oz of the cheddar cheese and hash browns; then mix and spread in the casserole dish.

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and scallions on top and cover with foil.

5. Bake for 45 minutes.

6. Remove foil and cook under broiler for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

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Artwork by Jessica McDonald

Entrees Beef with Broccoli Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad Pasta with Cauliflower and Chickpeas Slow-Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Creamy Fetuccine Pesto Gooey Mac and Cheese Vegetable Pizza Homemade Gnocchi Vegetarian Chili Turkey Rotini Bake

Beef with Broccoli Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 Although a bit complicated, this recipe will totally blow your typical chinese take-out dinner out of the water. You may not have heard of many of the ingredients on the list below, however they’re used frequently in traditional Asain cooking. You know it’s gonna be tasty then! Thank you to Melissa for finding and sharing this recipe. Personally, I think this dish would be perfect for a small dinner party. You’ll definitely impress all your guests.

Ingredients: 1+1/4 pound flank or sirloin steak cut very thin against the grain 1/ 2 cup + 2 tbsp reduced sodium gluten-free Tamari, divided 2- 1/2 tbsp GlutenFree Sweet Rice Flour, divided 3/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes

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Directions:

1. Add steak, 2 tablespoons gluten-free Tamari, and 1 tablespoon Sweet Rice Flour to a large Ziplock bag then seal and squish to evenly coat. Place the bag into the refrigerator to marinate for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, add remaining 1/2 cup gluten-free Tamari, remaining 1+1/2 tablespoons Sweet Rice Flour, chicken broth, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ground ginger, and red chili pepper flakes to a bowl then whisk to combine and set aside.

3. Heat a large wok or non-stick skillet over high heat then add water and broccoli. Stir fry until broccoli is crisp tender, 2-3 minutes, then remove to a plate and set aside.

Repeat the process with the red bell pepper.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in wok (or large skillet) then add 1/2 the marinated beef in one layer. Let sit undisturbed until seared, 30 seconds, then stir fry until just barely cooked through (some pink still showing is ok.)

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4 cups broccoli florets 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided Cooked rice for serving Sesame seeds

5. Remove to a plate with broccoli then cook remaining beef in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil, and then add to the plate.

6. Add sauce to wok then simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add cooked broccoli and beef back into wok then stir to combine. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve over cooked rice.

Green onion, chopped

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Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 This is the salad of my dreams. I love salad, but I find it hard to eat if it’s not filled with yummy ingredients and only consists of wimpy lettuce. This cilantro lime taco salad defies all odds. My favorite part about this recipe is that you can make it whatever you want.

If you want to omit or add more ingredients listed, go for it! The salad is yours and this recipe is friendly enough for that. I’ll be adding chickpeas and lots of extra tortilla strips and cheese to mine!

Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken breasts 1 cup loosely packed cilantro 4 garlic cloves, peeled 3 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp EACH chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder 1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, salt, pepper, sugar 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) 1 large head of Romaine lettuce, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

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Directions:

1. Add all marinade ingredients to your food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down sides several times.

Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons for basting (if making salad, you will use 1 tablespoon for basting, 1 tablespoon for dressing).

2. Add the remaining marinade to a shallow dish or large freezer bag. Add chicken and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator 2-10 hours.

3. When ready to cook, remove chicken from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.

4. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once very hot, drain chicken from marinade, pat off excess and add to skillet.

5. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 4-6 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

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1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed 2 ears raw sweet corn, off the cob 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese 2 avocados, chopped Tortilla Chips, slightly crushed or tortilla strips 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

6. Remove chicken to the cutting board and baste with reserved 1 tablespoon marinade. Garnish with additional lime juice to taste if desired. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

7. To make the dressing, combine the leftover marinade, sour cream, and mayonnaise, ketchup, red wine vinegar, and sugar in a cup. Cover and shake well to combine.

8. Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Mix well and serve!

2-3 tbsp sugar 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt 1 tbsp reserved cilantro marinade

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Pasta with Cauliflower and Chickpeas Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4

Also known as “Melissa’s Pasta”. This beloved dinner dish is a favorite among current sisters; many of them are always requesting her to make it! And for good reason, too. I remember the first time she made it for me, and oh my goodness, the hype is real! My favorite part of the dish would have to be the “burnt” broccoli. There’s just something about roasting vegetables and mixing it with pasta that is just so amazing! That is exactly what this pasta dish is. Whenever you decide to make this, think of the countless sisters who have enjoyed it, and the many more sisters who will get to experience this wonderful dish in the future. You definitely can’t go wrong with pasta, cheese, and veggies.

Ingredients: 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 small heads broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 lb dry short pasta 4 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a very large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a big pinch of kosher salt, and some freshly ground pepper.

Toss everything together, then spread the vegetables and chickpeas out among the two baking sheets. Reserve the mixing bowl for later, no need to wash it.

3. Roast the vegetables and chickpeas for 35-40 minutes, turning the baking sheets halfway, uWntil the chickpeas are crispy on the outside, the broccoli is charred, and the cauliflower has started to turn golden brown.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente (or softer, if you want), according to the package directions. Drain in a colander, DO NOT RINSE, then transfer the hot, cooked pasta to the very large mixing bowl. Toss the pasta with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

5. When the vegetables and chickpeas are done, immediately add them to the very large mixing bowl with the pasta, then add the finely grated parmesan. Toss together until everything is combined and the cheese has started to melt.

6. To serve, divide among four bowls. Garnish with extra parmesan, if you want.

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Slow-Cooker Garlic Parmesan Chicken Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 By the end of this book, your slow-cooker will be your best friend. This easy dinner is perfect for those days where you’re just too drained to put a lot of effort into cooking.

Other than quickly sauteing the chicken, just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. You’ll end up with a lovely meal filled with all my favorite things (garlic, cheese, potatoes, chicken!). I’d recommend serving with a nice side salad or some simple pasta with oil or butter.

Ingredients: 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs Kosher salt Ground black pepper 1 lb. baby red potatoes, quartered 2 tbsp butter, softened 5 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sear until golden, 3 minutes per side.

2. Meanwhile, in a large slow cooker, toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, butter, garlic, thyme, parsley, and Parmesan and season generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours, until potatoes are tender and chicken is fully cooked.

3. Garnish with Parmesan before serving.

2 tbsp fresh thyme Chopped parsley 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

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THE ASA COOKBOOK

Creamy Fetuccine Pesto Recipe Submitted by Mariel Pridmore, Fall 2016 | Serves 4 Mariel and I made this pasta together during quarantine and I still think about it everyday; it’s that good. This ultimate pasta is great for any occasion, any season, any crowd. The recipe, which was sent to her by Jeremy from AEPi (originally called Jeremy’s Pasta), is quite versatile, since you can use whatever pesto you’d like and add additional ingredients like chicken or shrimp. It’s quite filling and this recipe makes a lot, so get ready for some yummy leftovers.

Ingredients: 1 pound dried fetuccine pasta 1/2 cup butter 2 cups heavy cream OR 1 cup milk and 2 tbsp flour 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1/3 cup pesto of your choice 2 tbsp garlic powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season generously with salt.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter until it’s just foaming.

3. Pour in the heavy cream or milk and flour and continuously whisk until milk is barely boiling. Add the pesto and garlic and stir; reduce heat to simmer and cover.

4. Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water in case sauce is too thick.

5. Transfer the cooked pasta to the saucepan and mix. Add parmesan cheese and continue to mix until the cheese is melted and the pasta is nicely coated. Add in a bit of the pasta water if too thick.

6. Plate and optionally serve with chicken or shrimp. Enjoy!

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Gooey Mac and Cheese Recipe Submitted by Ava Gervan, Fall 2018 | Serves 8-10 I knew I wanted to include a Mac and Cheese recipe in the book, so naturally I had to ask Ava for hers! If you know Ava, you know she loves cheese, so why would I not choose her mac and cheese recipe? Boasting two different types of delicious cheeses, perfect for this application, this mac and cheese is so creamy and decadent. I remember when I first tried it; I’m not sure if she made the dish to share with all the sisters or not but she ended up feeding a bunch of us because we couldn’t stop eating it! Like the creamy pesto recipe, feel free to add anything else to the Mac. My favorite additions include crispy bacon, scallions, barbeque sauce, or pulled pork. But make it whatever you want!

Ingredients: 1 stick of butter 1/2 cup of flour 1/2 cups of milk 1 pint of half and half, or heavy cream 2 cups of grated gruyere cheese (2 packages 4 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 packages) 1 box of elbow noodles (or any kind that you want) Bread crumbs Salt, pepper, and paprika for seasoning

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. Combine all the cheeses into one bowl and set aside 2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and place the uncooked pasta in to cook. Cook 1 minute less than al dente; read the directions on the box to see how long to cook. Drain the pasta and keep from sticking with oil if the sauce isn’t ready at the same time.

3. While the pasta is cooking, in a large saucepan melt butter until completely melted on a medium heat. Add in the flour and whisk until fully combined. It should look like wet sand.

4. Slowly pour in the half and half and stir in until combined.

Then add the milk and whisk often. You should now have a thin soup. Add about 1/3 of the cheeses into the pan and whisk until it becomes a thicker cheese sauce. Add in

THE ASA COOKBOOK

5.

6.

7.

8.

seasonings as desired.

Now with the sauce done and the pasta ready, pour about half of the pasta into the greased pan.

Pour half of the sauce on top of the pasta evenly and sprinkle about 1/3 of the cheeses on top as well. Place the rest of the pasta on top of this and repeat with the sauce and the cheeses until all of it is used.

Cover the mac and cheese with a layer of bread crumbs on top and place it in the oven.

Cook for about 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cheese starts to get a little crispy.

Let cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

crispy, cheesy topping!

Vegetable Pizza Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggeo, Fall 2018 | Serves 6 Another wonderful recipe from Grace, vegetable pizza is the perfect dinner solution when you may not know what to make. Whether you serve this as the main entree or as an appetizer (you could cut them into bit-sized pieces), this recipe is a crowd-pleaser that is friendly for even the pickiest of eaters. This is another one of those recipes that allows for additions to fit your taste.

Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese 8 oz sour cream 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 8 oz shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese Black olives Carrots Broccoli Red Pepper Green Pepper

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Directions:

1. Unroll the crescent roll triangle pieces onto a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Press pieces together to make a whole dough, covering the bottom of the pan.

3. Cook at 375 degrees for 11-13 minutes until light brown. (follow package directions) 4. In a medium sized bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream and dressing with a hand mixer. Once blended, spread the mixture onto the dough.

5. Cut up the veggies into small pieces and place onto dough, then sprinkle cheese.

6. Cover pizza and put into the refrigerator, and cut into squares before serving.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

Homemade Gnocchi Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggeo, Fall 2018 | Serves 10 Ever wanted to make homemade pasta? Now is your chance! This recipe will not disappoint, since it is coming from a wonderful Italian family. Grace invited me to her house for her birthday when I tried this pasta. She said it was her favorite so her mom made it for her, and I understand why! It’s now my favorite and I’m so grateful she was able to share her family recipe with me. She served it with a homemade red sauce, but this would be good with virtually any sauce. I’m definitely going to try it with a vodka sauce and topped with some gorgonzola.

Ingredients: 4 cups flour 1 egg 32 oz. ricotta cheese Pinch of salt 1/4 cup romano cheese

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Place mixture on wax paper, cover with bowl, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, mix and knead the dough until uniform.

3. Roll the dough into small balls, using more flour as needed. Use the back of a fork to shape the dough pieces by placing the fork on top and pulling towards you, away from the piece of pasta. There should be ridges on the pasta now.

4. Put shaped pieces of dough on wax paper & cookie sheet, then quickly freeze the tray. Place the frozen pieces into ziploc bags & freeze.

5. When ready to cook, boil water, generously salting it, and place pieces into the pot.

6. When pieces float to the top of the pot, spoon out and serve with your favorite sauce.

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Vegetarian Chili Recipe Submitted by Violet Young, Spring 2018 | Serves 12 Yep, you’re gonna need to get that slow cooker back out for this one. For this recipe, which Violet loves to make (and I love when she makes it!), you basically just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it cook. This means that a lot of the effort goes into balancing the spices and ingredients you want to shine through. Below are approximate measurements so take it with a grain of salt, pun intended. If you like it spicier, make it spicier! Experiment with it; make it yours.

Ingredients: 2 cans tomato paste 1 can diced tomatoes 2 cans black beans 1 can kidney beans 1 can corn 1 small can green chiles 1 red onion

Directions:

1. Set your slow cooker to low.

2. Dice the onion and bell peppers and place into a crock pot.

3. Add the remaining ingredients, besides the rice, to the pot and let cook for 5 hours.

4. Add in the rice or quinoa and stir, cook for additional 30 minutes.

5. Serve immediately and top with cheese and tortilla chips.

2 bell peppers 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1-2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 cup cooked rice or quinoa

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THE ASA COOKBOOK

Turkey Rotini Bake Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggoe, Fall 2018 | Serves 8-10 Everyone loves a good pasta bake! This recipe is sure to please any crowd and can be made the night of dinner or made ahead of time. In addition, feel free to substitute the ground turkey for ground beef or chicken if turkey isn’t your thing. Regardless, this casserole is good with anything and makes for a great weeknight entree.

Ingredients: 12 oz. rotini pasta (1 box) 1 pound ground turkey 16 oz Alfredo sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook the rotini as directed on the package.

3. While the rotini is cooking, brown the ground turkey, adding the salt and pepper.

4. Drain the rotini, put it back in the pot, then add the ground turkey and alfredo sauce. Mix well.

5. Place half of the pasta-turkey mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Then add the remaining pasta, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

7. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley.

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Artwork by Catherine Kohl

Sides Classic Green Bean Casserole Fancy Green Bean Casserole Boneless Chicken Wings Sweet Potato Casserole Mashed Potatoes Pasta Salad

Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipe by Dorcas Reilly, Nu Nu Chapter | Serves 6 An Alpha Sigma Alpha cookbook would not be complete without the inclusion of green bean casserole, our claim to fame. Dorcas Reilly, a member of the Nu Nu chapter, developed this beloved recipe at the Campbell’s Soup Company in 1955 and it is still enjoyed today. I had the honor of making green bean casserole for Thanksgiving Sunday Night Dinner in 2019. Although I used the recipe on the following page, making this iconic dish connected me closer to the organization and reminded me that we really are all built on the same passions and values. You can read more about Dorcas and ASA history on the Alpha Sigma Alpha website.

Ingredients: 1 can (10 3/4 oz.)

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp soy sauce Dash of black pepper 4 cups cooked, cut green beans

Directions:

1. Mix the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, green beans and 2/3 cups of onions in a 1 ½ quart casserole.

2. Bake the casserole at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until hot.

3. Stir the casserole and sprinkle it with the remaining onions.

Bake the casserole for 5 minutes.

1+1/3 cup French Fried Onions

Tip:

You can use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz.) frozen green beans, 2 pkg. (9 oz. each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 oz. each) green beans or about 1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans for this recipe.

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THE ASA COOKBOOK

Fancy Green Bean Casserole Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Serves 8 Definitely more complicated than the classic green bean casserole counterpart. However, if you do have the time, I highly recommend making this rendition. Adapted from Bon Appetit, this recipe was a homerun at Thanksgiving Sunday Night Dinner and I can’t wait to make it again. My favorite part of the recipe is making the homemade roux, which is good enough to take some bread and dip it into. In addition, using cremini mushrooms adds that fresh, deep mushroom flavor.

Ingredients: 2 pounds green beans Kosher salt 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced, divided 6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided 4 large sprigs thyme 2 tbsp flour 1+1/4 cup whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 4 garlic cloves, finely grated 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Ground black pepper 3/4 cup French fried onions

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Working in batches, cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and halfway to tenderness, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain and let cool; trim stem ends.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook half of the mushrooms, without stirring, until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes more. Add 2 tbsp butter and 2 thyme sprigs to pan. Cook, tossing occasionally, until butter browns and mushrooms are dark brown and very tender, about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 tbsp butter, salt, and remaining oil, mushrooms, and thyme.

3. Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium-low. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until roux is golden brown and smells mildly nutty, about 4 minutes.

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4. Whisk in milk and cream. Increase heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until bĂŠchamel sauce is thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in garlic and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

5. Arrange green beans and mushrooms in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour sauce over (it may not look like enough, but it will get saucier as it bakes). Cover tightly with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes.

6. Uncover and continue to bake until the casserole is lightly browned on top and around the edges, 15–20 minutes longer.

7. Top with fried onions and continue to bake just until onions are slightly darker and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Let sit 10 minutes to set before serving.

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Boneless Chicken Wings Recipe Submitted by Grace Muggeo, Fall 2018 | Serves 6 Whether you serve these as a side dish or an appetizer, these boneless chicken wings are a delightful addition to any get together. This recipe calls for hot sauce, but feel free to switch it up and use barbecue sauce or just your favorite sauce! Regardless, serve these little bite sized bits of heaven with some blue cheese and enjoy!

Ingredients: 3 Chicken breasts 1 cup Flour 2 eggs 1 cup Bread crumbs 1/2 cup Red Hot sauce 4 tbsp Butter

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the chicken breasts into large, but bite-sized pieces.

3. Dredge the pieces in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, and place on a tinfoil and greased baking sheet.

4. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Melt the butter in the microwave and mix together with the hot sauce. The measurements don’t need to be exact, just add the desired amount of hot sauce to your taste.

6. Mix the finished chicken in hot sauce mixture and serve.

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe Submitted by Kristin Komendowski, Fall 2016 | Serves 12-15 Another Thanksgiving favorite! I asked Kris for her recipe because honestly, it was my favorite dish on the table. It’s sweet, rich, smooth, and yet perfectly crunchy thanks to the topping (definitely don’t skip that part!). Plus, it’s perfect for big family or friend dinners, since it serves a crowd. I promise you’ll love this delish dish!

Ingredients: 6 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes 4 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup melted butter 2 tbsp cinnamon Topping: 1 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes with the eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and cinnamon until smooth.

2. Spoon into a buttered 3-quart casserole dish.

3. In a small bowl, combine all the topping ingredients (the mixture will be quite thick).

4. Spoon the mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and crisp.

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans 1/2 cup melted butter

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Mashed Potatoes Recipe Submitted by Morgan West, Fall 2018 | Serves 12 Never forget when Morgan made 20 pounds of these mashed potatoes for Sunday Night Dinner...how iconic. This is an absolutely classic mashed potato recipe so you can’t go wrong with serving this at your next Thanksgiving dinner or as a side dish for any other nice occasion. Top them with some homemade gravy and you’re golden.

Ingredients: 5 lbs Eastern, White, or Yukon potatoes 2 sticks margarine 1 tsp salt (more to taste) Milk (amount varies based on your preferred consistency)

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Directions:

1. Peel and cut the potatoes and place in a salted, boiling pot.

2. Boil the potatoes until you can easily put a fork through one (make sure it’s not too soft; start checking after 20 minutes of boiling). Then drain.

3. Put two sticks margarine in a bowl, then put the potatoes on top of margarine to melt.

4. Add salt in increments; start with 1 teaspoon, add more as needed for taste.

5. Begin mashing the potatoes with a masher or fork. When the potato mixture is a nice mashed consistency, start adding milk a little bit at a time until consistency is as desired. Serve immediately.

THE ASA COOKBOOK

Pasta Salad Recipe Submitted by Marissa Blockus, Spring 2009 | Serves a crowd!

I think the beauty of sides is that you can make as much as you want, because everything is almost always good leftover. Especially this pasta salad. When I reached out to our fellow alumnae on Facebook, many people gravitated towards this pasta salad recipe.

So naturally, I reached out to Marissa to get more information so I could include it in the book. She told me that sisters used to make tons and tons of this stuff to feed everyone!

She also mentioned many variations came about to accommodate the picky eaters. Like the many recipes you’ll find in this book, add and substitute ingredients as you please.

Ingredients: Variety pack of pasta (penne, farfalle, and wheels) Pepperoni Sticks Red Onions Grated Parmesan cheese Sharp Cheddar cheese cubes Colby Jack cheese cubes Cooked Peas

Directions:

1. Bring 7 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, making sure to salt the water. Cook each pack of pasta to al dente and rinse with cold water; set aside.

2. Chop pepperoni sticks and red onions into bite-sized pieces and set aside with other ingredients.

3. In a very large bowl or serving dishes, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Place in fridge for 4 hours or ideally overnight.

4. Add additional dressing if needed right before serving and give it a mix.

Black olives Wishbone Italian Dressing (put some on the night before and then more before serving the next day)

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Artwork by Jessica McDonald

Bread Butter Flakes Soft Pretzels Challah Bread Quick Focaccia Bread Cranberry Bread

Butter Flakes Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Makes 12 Anything that has the word butter in the name is bound to be delicious, and that is exactly what these butter flakes are. Although the recipe seems intricate, it’s not bad considering it yields results that are definitely worth it. Serve these on the side for dinner or eat them for breakfast with some jam!

Ingredients: 1 package yeast 1+1/2 tbsp shortening 2 tbsp lukewarm water 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup hot water 1 beaten egg 1 tsp salt 3+1/2 cups flour

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Directions:

1. Soften yeast in lukewarm water.

2. To the hot (or boiling) water add salt, shortening, sugar; cool then add yeast and egg.

3. Beat in the flour and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

4. Remove 2 and a half to 3 hours before serving to bring to room temperature.

5. After an hour, roll to 1/8 inch thickness; brush with melted butter.

6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Cut in 2 inch strips; stack 7 strips; cut 2 inch squares.

8. Arrange in greased muffin pan and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

9. Bake for about 10 minutes, then serve hot.

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Soft Pretzels Recipe Submitted by Aimee Spisak, Spring 2018 | Makes 12 pretzels Like myself, Aimee loves baking homemade bread, so I had to reach out and get her favorite recipe. Who doesn’t love soft pretzels?! These will make you forget about the tasty mall pretzels! Like the Challah bread, pretty much anything goes well with them. My favorite has always been cinnamon sugar, but feel free to make it savory!

Ingredients: 4 tsp active dry yeast 1 tsp white sugar 1+1/4 cups warm water 5 cups flour 1/2 cup white sugar 1+1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 cup baking soda 4 cups hot water 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1+1/4 cup warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt.

Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture.

Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two more tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 2 baking sheets.

5. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in 4 cups hot water; set aside. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking sodahot water solution and place pretzels on baking sheets.

Sprinkle with kosher salt.

6. Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 8 minutes.

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Challah Bread Recipe Submitted by Elana Aronson, Fall 2015 | Makes 2-3 loaves This Challah bread is probably one of my favorite recipes in the book, but maybe I’m biased because my favorite food is literally bread. This is a recipe from Elana’s family, so you know it’s good! She recommends adding chocolate chips to the dough, and as someone with a sweet tooth, I cannot agree more. In addition, slicing up a loaf of this bread and using it as french toast (see page 29) is wonderful.

Ingredients: 2 cups water 1 cup sugar 2 packages rapid rise yeast 6-10 cups bread flour 1 tbsp salt 2 eggs 1/2 cup oil

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Directions:

1. In 95 degree oven, let sugar, very warm water, and yeast do its thing until foamy.

2. In a stand mixer with dough hook, combine 5 cups of flour and the salt. Add yeast mixture and blend. When blended, add eggs, add some flour, blend again and add oil.

3. Add flour thereafter by 1/2 cupfuls. Dough should be smooth and elastic; about the consistency of your earlobe.

4. Lightly oil or use nonstick spray to coat a large bowl. Also, spray top of dough. Cover with cloth or parchment. Place the dough in a bowl in a warm spot to let rise.

5. Punch down dough, knead and shape. Brush with beaten egg. Add chocolate chips, sprinkles, or cinnamon sugar to the top if desired (you should!).

6. Bake at 350 degrees on a lightly coated baking sheet or use parchment for 30 to 40 minutes. You might have to cover the bread with foil at last ten minutes.

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Quick Focaccia Bread Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 This is the quickest bread recipe ever, without sacrificing deliciousness. I made this for the first time back in September 2019 and it was a home-run from the start; in fact, this bread prompted my passion for baking. Roasting some garlic and spreading it on top of this crispy yet soft bread is heavenly. In addition, this dough makes for a great flatbread.

Ingredients: 1 cup water 2 cups bread flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp good quality pizza seasoning 1/4 cup roasted red peppers 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup roasted garlic cloves (optional)

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet.

2. Pour water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to the water. Mix on medium speed until dough forms a ball. (Or, stir together water, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it forms a ball.)

3. Place dough onto a greased baking sheet. Using oiled fingers, spread dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Dough will be sticky and elastic. It does not have to be perfectly even nor spread to the edges, but make sure there are no holes. Rub the top and sides of dough with olive oil.

4. Season with pizza seasoning, and top with roasted red peppers.

5. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with optional roasted garlic, then return to the oven. Bake until just golden, or about 5 minutes.

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Cranberry Bread Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 4 Cranberries are always a fun ingredient to work with, especially when combined with orange flavors, like in this recipe. I’ll definitely be asking Grace to make this for the next Thanksgiving dinner. Also, there’s no yeast, so there’s no waiting around for the dough to rise. This recipe just reminds me of the holidays, which is my favorite time of year to spend with sisters.

Ingredients: 2 cups sifted flour 1 cup sugar 1+1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp grated orange peel

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl.

3. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.

4. Add the egg, orange peel, and orange juice all at once. Stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in cranberries.

5. Spoon into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.

6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Remove from the pan, cool on a wire rack.

3/4 cup orange juice 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

BREAD

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Desserts Cheesecake Banana Bread Triple-Layered Brownies Snickerdoodles Strawberry Cake Loaded Cookies Brigadeiros Apple Snaps

Cheesecake Banana Bread Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Makes 1 loaf Banana bread is one of my favorite dessert loafs. I could eat it anytime, any day, anywhere. So naturally, adding cheesecake to it is even better! This recipe for banana bread is simply delicious on its own, so if you aren’t a fan of cheesecake feel free to omit it. You’ll be missing out though!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup melted butter 1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour, divided 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp kosher salt 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, divided 3 ripe bananas, mashed 4 oz cream cheese, softened

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In another large bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, vanilla, 1 egg and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Pour wet ingredients over dry and stir until combined, then fold in mashed bananas.

3. Make cream cheese filling: In a small bowl, stir together remaining egg, cream cheese, and remaining 2 tablespoons each flour and sugar.

4. Transfer half the batter to the prepared pan. Dollop cream cheese filling on top and smooth in an even layer with a spatula. Top with remaining batter.

5. Bake until deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Triple-Layered Brownies Recipe Submitted by Elana Aronson, Fall 2015 | Serves 9 This is the ultimate brownie. Triple the layers means triple the deliciousness, and is absolutely sister-approved. I was looking for a great brownie recipe and I’m so thankful Elana sent me this one, because wow, it’s heavenly! I highly recommend making them for any occasion, but especially the occasion of eating the whole pan by yourself at home!

Ingredients: 10 tbsp butter 1+1/4 cups white sugar 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs 1/2 cup flour 1 package of Oreos Cookie Dough layer: 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp 1/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

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Directions:

1. Brownie Layer: In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the sugar and cocoa powder once the butter is melted. Whisk to combine and remove from heat. Add the salt, vanilla and eggs and continuously whisk until the eggs are combined. Add the flour and continue to mix. Set batter aside.

2. Cookie Layer: Cream together the butter and sugars in a mixer. Add the egg and vanilla, making sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and mix on low until everything is incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Set dough aside.

3. Assembly: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

4. Line the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking pan with tin foil and then spray the tin foil with a layer of baking spray.

5. Layer the cookie dough on the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan, pressing down to form the bottom of the brownies.

6. Layer as many oreos that will fit on top of the cookie dough. No need to overlap. One single layer will do.

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7. Pour the brownie batter on top of the oreo layer and make sure it’s evenly layers on top.

8. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Test with a knife to see if the center is done. If the knife comes out clean, let the brownies rest for at least 2 hours before serving. If the knife comes out with batter still on it, allow the brownies to bake about 5 minutes more. Slice and serve.

DESSERTS

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Snickerdoodles Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Makes 16 cookies Snickerdoodles are my favorite type of cookie! I’m a sucker for cinnamon sugar and this is the perfect recipe to satisfy a cookie craving. The cookie is so soft and chewy, but also a little crunchy on the outside. It’s perfect! You can make this dough 3 days ahead of time, but make sure to let it come to room temperature before baking.

Ingredients: 2+1/2 cups flour 2 tsp cream of tartar 1+1/4 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1 cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar, divided 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 eggs, room temperature 1 tbsp cinnamon

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Directions:

1. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and 1 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl, scraping down sides, until incorporated and fluffy.

3. Add in the vanilla extract and eggs and continue to beat until mixture is pale yellow, begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low.

4. Gradually add dry ingredients and continue to beat until just combined.

5. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking sheet.

Whisk cinnamon and remaining 1 tbsp sugar in a small bowl.

7. Portion cookies and roll into small balls with your hands.

8. Toss in cinnamon-sugar until coated all over. Transfer to the prepared sheet, spacing about 3” apart.

9. Bake cookies until edges are lightly browned and firm but centers are puffed and soft, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

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Brigadeiros Recipe Submitted by Luiza Bianco, Spring 2019 | Makes 12 Brigadeiros are a Brazilian dessert similar to a truffle, so why wouldn’t these be good?

Luiza, who is from Brazil, sent me this recipe and I just had to include it in the book.

They’re an easy, fun recipe to make and can be customized by adding other yummy mix-ins. My personal favorite would have to be covering them in coconut flakes and even more chocolate.

Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter 1 can condensed milk 3 tbsp chocolate powder: Hershey’s or Nesquik

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, add the butter and let it melt.

2. Add in both the chocolate powder and condensed milk and continuously stir on medium heat.

3. Continue stirring for about 15-20 minutes until some small lumps appear.

4. Transfer the chocolate to a bowl. Set in the fridge for about 3 hours until the mixture reaches a harder consistency.

5. You can eat it from the bowl with a spoon or put it in smaller containers before going to the fridge.

6. Take less than a handful of the mixture and form into a ball. Cover the ball in toppings or leave plain, then place back in the fridge until serving.

DESSERTS

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Strawberry Cake Recipe Submitted by Melissa Stillman, Fall 2017 | Serves 8 It’s like strawberry shortcake, but dare I say it, better! Between the moist cake, fresh strawberries, and homemade whipped cream topping, nothing beats the amazing dessert. The addition of sour cream makes for an extra moist cake and the addition of almond extract to the whipped cream helps maintain a flavorful, not-to-sweet topping.

The best part about this recipe is all three components (cake, strawberries, and whipped cream) are all delicious on their own.

Ingredients: 2+1/2 cups cake flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1+1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt 1/2 cup milk 1+3/4 cups chopped strawberries Whipped Cream: 4 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4-1/2 tsp almond extract, optional

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

4. Add in the vanilla extract, then beat in the eggs one at a time.

5. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl whisk together the milk and sour cream.

6. Then carefully beat about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by about 1/3 of the milk and sour cream mixture. Repeat the process with the rest of the flour mixture and sour cream mixture adding about 1/3 of each at a time.

7. Gently fold in the chopped berries using a spatula or wooden spoon.

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3/4 cup powdered sugar, use 1 cup for sweeter flavor 1+3/4 cups heavy cream 6-8 oz strawberries, sliced

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 27-33 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

9. Allow to cool.

10. Sweetened Whipped Cream Topping: In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese, almond extract and powdered sugar.

11. Beat in the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Watch carefully; if the mixture is whipped too much it can collapse.

12. Spread the sweetened whipped cream on top of the cake and top with fresh berries.

DESSERTS

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Loaded Cookies Recipe Submitted by Mia Guariano, Spring 2019 | Makes 10-12 cookies I swear by these cookies. They check all the boxes for the ultimate cookie; I promise you’ll love them. Since they have both lots of chocolate and pretzels on top, they’re the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Plus, browning the butter adds a deeper flavor to the cookie and makes it the perfect consistency: chewy on the inside, but a little crunchy on the outside.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1+1/4 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 4 oz milk chocolate chips 4 oz mini milk chocolate chips Mini pretzels, about 3 per cookie 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1/2 cup caramel sauce

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Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat.

Once small brown flecks form, remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt, then mix together.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the cooled butter and sugars until there are no lumps. The longer you whisk, the fluffier the cookie will be.

4. Whisk in the egg and vanilla, beating until light ribbons fall off the whisk and remain for a short while before falling back into the mixture.

5. Slowly incorporate the dry mixture in batches, then fold the mixture with a spatula (Be careful not to overmix, which would cause the gluten in the flour to toughen, resulting in cakier cookies).

6. Fold in the chocolate chips, then chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. For a more intense flavor and deeper color, chill the dough overnight. The longer the dough rests, the more complex its flavor will be.

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7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Grab a large chunk, about 2 tablespoons worth, of dough and place onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving space in between each cookie and from the edges of the pan so that the cookies can spread evenly. Feel free to add additional chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies!

9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges have started to barely brown.

10. Once removed from the oven, immediately add mini pretzels to the top and gently push into the cookie.

11. Cool for 10 minutes. Microwave caramel or peanut butter in a bowl in increments of 30 seconds. Once hot, drizzle on top and let cool/harden. Enjoy!

DESSERTS

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Apple Snaps Recipe Submitted by Kiley Gallant, Spring 2018 | Makes 12 cookies Aren’t these just the cutest cookies? This recipe is inspired by the cookies in the movie Fantastic Mr. Fox, but I figured it would be nice to include them in this book as a nice summer and fall treat. This recipe is long, but grab your friends or family and make it into a fun activity. And at the end of it, you’ll be able to enjoy these delicious, adorable goodies!

Ingredients: 2 cups unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 6 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp molasses 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, grated 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp grated nutmeg 1 pinch ground cloves 4 cups flour 2 tsp cornstarch 1 pinch salt 4 gala apples Organic refined sugar, for sprinkling

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed.

3. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, molasses, grated fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and cloves and beat on medium speed until fully blended.

4. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture gradually and on low speed, until the ingredients are fully blended.

5. Roll 2-3 tablespoons of dough into balls and use your hand to flatten them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1/4 inch high and 2 inches apart. Slice the apples as thinly as you can and press slices firmly into the center of each cookie. Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over cookies to coat, making sure to cover the edges.

6. Bake 15-25 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more sugar, if desired. Let cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

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All references to flour refer to allpurpose flour unless otherwise stated.

All references to eggs refer to large eggs unless otherwise stated. All temperated are meaured in farenheit.

Header text used for this book is “Ink Free”. Ingredients text is “Rockwell”, and body text is “Myanmar Text” fonts.

Copyright © 2020 by Mia Guariano

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form on by an electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.