7 Homemade Recipes to Make Your Week Delicious ...

1. CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Topping
1 cup cocoa powder

PREPARATION
In a medium-sized pan over low heat, combine semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream, and stir until you achieve a smooth consistency. Pour mixture into a rectangular bread pan. Allow to sit in refrigerator for 1 hour or until mixture is solid With an ice cream scoop, form balls from the mixture (refreeze if truffle begins to melt). Roll in cocoa powder for topping, and enjoy!

2. Cheesy Potato Casserole

INGREDIENTS
Servings: 12
6 russet potatoes
Olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 cups sour cream
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Chives, for garnish

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Coat potatoes with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven, and let cool. Chop into 1-inch pieces. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F/180°C. Lay half of the potatoes on the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle on half of the bacon, spread half of the sour cream, and sprinkle on half of the cheese. Repeat for a second layer. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and the edges are crisping up. Sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!

3. Twisted Cinnamon Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
⅓ cup granulated sugar
5 puff pastry sheets, thawed
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla icing for dipping, optional

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix together cinnamon and sugar, set aside. Using an 8-inch plate or cake round, trace the plate on top of each puff pastry. To build, place one round on a work surface, brush with butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Repeat with remaining layers. To make twist, slice 8 triangles starting from the inside out, leaving an inch diameter around the edge. Starting with one triangle at a time, peel back each layer and fold over at an angle, repeating with remaining triangle stacks. Brush with remaining melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and crispy

4. Easy Chicken Alfredo Penne

INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds (700 grams) chicken breast, cubed
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
16 ounces (450 grams) penne pasta, cooked
¼ cup parsley
¼ cup parmesan, shredded
SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

PREPARATION
In a pan over medium-high heat, melt butter, then add the chicken breast. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Cook 8-10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove from heat and set chicken aside. In the same pan over medium heat, melt butter and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic begins to soften. Add half of the flour to the garlic and butter, stirring until incorporated. Then add the rest of the flour and stir. Pour in the milk a little bit at a time, stirring well in between, until fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil, and stir well to incorporate. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Pour the sauce over cooked penne pasta, add the chicken and mix well. Add parsley and extra parmesan, and mix again

5. Oreo Cheesecake Cookie Cups

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa sifted
1/4 cup black cocoa powder sifted*
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar packed
2 large eggs room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
Oreo Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream chilled
8 oz cream cheese full fat, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

PREPARATION
Chocolate Cookie Cups:
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray two regular sized muffin tins with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Beat butter and sugars on med-high until light and fluffy (approx. 2-3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Using a large cookie scoop (3 Tbsp) scoop dough into muffin tins, press down to flatten. Bake for approx. 10-13mins or until mostly set, but still soft in the middle. Remove from oven and immediately use a small jar or container to press firmly down in the center to create a well. Cool in pans for 10mins, loosen each slightly by twisting it in the pan. Cool for 5 more minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack

Oreo Cheesecake Filling:
Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks (ideally with a cold whisk and in a cold bowl) In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add Oreo cookie crumbs and beat until incorporated. Add whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and beat until combined. Pipe into cooled cookie cups and refrigerate until set (approx. 1-2 hours) Sprinkle with additional Oreo cookie crumbs if desired. Serve chilled and eat within 2-3 days. Or freeze for up to 4 weeks

6. Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 - 110 degrees F°)
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

PREPARATION
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand-mixer, add warm water, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Stir to combine (using the dough hook if in the stand-mixer) Add 2 cups flour and mix well. Gradually add in the rest of the flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and sticks to your finger a little bit. (Remember to only add up to 4 cups flour total. Adding too much flour will make the breadsticks too dense and not soft.) Cover bowl and allow to rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Remove dough from bowl and place on a clean and lightly-floured surface. Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray. Roll dough into a large rectangle, about 1-inch thick, and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter. Roll out each piece of dough into a long rope then twist. Place dough twist onto prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest of dough, placing side by side on baking sheet. Cover and let rest 30 minutes to rise again until doubled. Preheat oven to 425° F. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove from oven and rub a 1/2 stick of butter over the warm breadsticks. Sprinkle tops evenly with Garlic Bread Seasoning! Serve and enjoy!

7. No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup chunky peanut butter

PREPARATION
Line a 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Heat over low-heat, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add the oats, cinnamon and kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly, pressing down. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the peanut butter. Heat on high in the microwave, in increments of 40 seconds, stirring in between each increment, until melted and fully combined. Pour ⅘ of the chocolate mixture into the pan over the pressed oats, reserving about ¼ cup for drizzling. Top with the remaining oats and drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.