Ham and Broccoli Pasta Dinner

heavily adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by mrs.embee

14 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta (or just regular rotini)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1 1/2 (15 ounce) jars Alfredo sauce
ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, for four minutes. Add the broccoli and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. Drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced ham, onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add the pasta and broccoli to the pan with the ham. Pour in the Alfredo sauce; stir to blend, sprinkle with pepper and stir everything together to coat the pasta with sauce and to heat through.

This was easy! Everyone in the family loved it. Score one for mom! 

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Mint Chocolate Cookies

We LOVE these cookies! One thing to keep in mind is the hour long cooling down of the cookie dough. If you're making this with little helpers they may not be happy about waiting! Also, before you unwrap all 45 mints you might want to get your dough on the trays first. I must have made my cookies a little bigger than they were supposed to be so we only ended up with 36. Which could account for why I needed to cook mine a minute or two longer. Of course, if you and your helpers unwrap too many mints it's a perfect excuse to eat them while you wait for your cookies to bake!

from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
45-47 Andes Mints, unwrapped

Directions
Combine butter, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate chips and stir constantly until chips are melted. Transfer chocolate mixture to bowl of electric mixer and let cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in second bowl. Add eggs to bowl with chocolate mixture and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, and mix until just combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking seets with parchment paper. Working with 1 heaping tablespoon dough at a time, roll into balls; place balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake until just set, 7-9 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Immediately place one mint in center of each cookie; let stand until mint is softened, about 5 minutes, then spread melted mint over tops of cookies. Transfer cookies to wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough and mints. Let cookies cool completely.

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: two thumbs way up!

Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast

This recipe is delicious! It is very sweet so be prepared for that. I don't really think it counts as a breakfast/brunch meal. I think it should be served as dessert. With a spoonful of whipped cream on top it's a perfect dessert!

adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by CALJAKE

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 (21 ounce) cans apple pie filling
8-9 large slices white bread
6 eggs
1 cup milk

1/2 c cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup

Directions

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the sugar mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the sugar mixture. Layer the bread slices on top of the filling, pressing down as you go. 

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Slowly pour this mixture over the bread, making sure that it is completely absorbed. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place covered pan into the oven and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 75-90 minutes. When done remove from oven and turn on broiler. Remove foil and drizzle maple syrup on top of the french toast. Broil for 2 minutes, or until the syrup begins to caramelize. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Invert the squares as you serve them so the apple filling is on top. 

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: thumbs up