Almond Joy Cookies

14 oz sweetened flaked coconut

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup salted roasted almonds, chopped

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Add the chopped almonds into a bowl along with 14 ounces of sweetened flaked coconut and a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk.

Use a spatula to combine all ingredients together. Now use a medium-sized cookie scoop and scoop out mounds of the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake the cookies at 325⁰ F for about 14-16 minutes. Then let the almond joy cookies cool completely.

Now in a microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips.

Then dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate and place it back onto the parchment paper to set.

Then pour the remaining amount of melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag. Then snip off the end of the tip and drizzle the melted chocolate over the almond Joy cookies. Let the chocolate set for at least 2 hours before enjoying.

Perfect Pie Crust

2 1/4 C flour

1/2 C. chilled shortening

1/2 C. chilled butter

1/2 t. salt

1/2 C. ice water

Add flour & salt to food processor. Add butter & shortening & pulse till coarse crumbs form. Drizzle ice water in slowly & pulse until dough forms a ball. Little flecks of butter should be visible. Divide the dough into 2 parts, using 1/3 for top piece & 2/3 for the bottom piece. Flatten each piece into a disc & freeze 15 min. Roll out larger piece into 12" circle & press into bottom & sides of pie plate. Fill pie. Roll our second circle into a 10" circle & top pie. Crimp edges. Bake as directed in recipe.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken breasts:

3 pounds chicken breast

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

The Perfect Pie Crust- HERE

⅔ cup butter

½ an onion chopped

⅔ cup flour

3 ½ cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

3 cups frozen mixed vegetables thawed and patted dry

½ teaspoon dried basil

pinch of garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg beaten

Instructions:

To prepare chicken breast: Season chicken with basil, salt, and black pepper. Place in a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow to cool. Chop when cool enough to handle. Set aside.

Prepare pie crust. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9"x13" baking dish and set aside.

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they are translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add flour and stir to combine. Continue cooking about 2 more minutes to reheat the mixture.

Slowly add in chicken broth, about ¼ cup at a time, constantly stirring. Slowly adding it will ensure there are no lumps.

Add milk and stir. Continue cooking on medium heat, uncovered until sauce thickens. You should be stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't burn at the bottom.

When sauce is thickened to the consistency of a medium-thick gravy, add chicken, mixed vegetables, basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Stir. Then remove from heat and set aside.

Roll out half the pie crust on a lightly floured surface, and lay it in a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Pour in sauce mixture. Roll out the other half of the pie crust and lay it on top.

Trim off the excess pie dough. Press the top and bottom pie crust together (I use a fork for this part). Cut slits in the top to let heat and steam escape.

With a pastry brush, brush beaten egg over top of pot pie.

Bake in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes. Then cover and return to oven to cook for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until both crusts are golden and cooked through.

Remove from oven and allow to sit to firm for about 15-30 minutes before serving.

Berry Crisp with Oatmeal Cookie Crumble

¾ cup all purpose flour

¾ cup quick cook oats

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter diced

¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound strawberries hulled and sliced (may substitute frozen)

1 cup blueberries frozen or fresh

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make the crumble by combining the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter until the mixture forms small crumbs. You may need to use your hands to help it along. Set aside.

Place strawberries and blueberries in a large bowl. Toss gently with sugar, lemon, and cornstarch Place in the bottom of a 8” square pan.

Pour the crumble over the top and press down slightly to compact.

Bake for 30-33 minutes. It’s done when the crust is browned and the topping looks crunchy. Serve warm (or room temperature) with whipped or ice cream. Note: if you serve it before it cools and has time to gel, the filling will spill in the pan.