Cooking in College!

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs plus 2 large yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar

1. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 450° F. Butter and flour four 4-ounce ramekins; butter and flour again.
2. Melt chocolate with butter. Remove from heat. Beat eggs, yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed in a deep bowl, 8 minutes, until thick and pale. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Whisk in flour.
3. Pour batter into ramekins. Place on baking sheet and bake 14 minutes, or until cakes have risen and have a thin crust, the sides are set and they are slightly jiggly in the center; underbaking is better than overbaking.
4. Carefully invert each cake onto a serving plate and let sit 20 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of mold; cake will fall onto plate. Dust tops with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

40 ml rum
20 ml strawberry liqueur
3-4 strawberries (depending on size)
40-60 ml lemon juice
1 cup of crushed ice

1. Mix in a blender until you have a thick mesh.
2. Serve in a cocktail glass

1 dash grenadine
Ginger ale

1. Add real cherries and an orange as a garnish if you would like.

2 cups ice cubes
1/4 cup lemon slices
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup high alcohol content rum (recommended: Bacardi 151)
Splash grenadine
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, plus more for garnish

1. In a pitcher, add all the ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Garnish with maraschino cherries, if using.
3. Pour into rocks glasses, garnish with maraschino cherries and serve.

2 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/4 cup melted butter
1 to 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 cup marinara or pizza sauce

1. Combine biscuit mix, cold water, and chopped pepperoni, mixing until a soft dough forms; beat about 20 strokes. Turn dough onto a biscuit mix-coated surface; gently roll in the biscuit mix to coat. Knead 5 times.
   Do not overwork the dough.
2. Roll dough into a 10-inch square; cut in half. Cut each half crosswise into 12 to 14 strips (about 3/4-inch wide pieces). Twist ends of strips in opposite directions. Place breadstick strips on ungreased baking sheet. Press ends down to secure strips to the baking sheet, and brush generously with the melted butter.
3. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
4. Bake at 425° for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve with hot marinara sauce or pizza sauce for dipping.

Makes about 24 to 28.

20 ml gin
20 ml vodka
20 ml white rum
20 ml Cointreau
20 ml tequila

4 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 limes, juiced
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a molcajete and mix to a chunky consistency.
2. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and cilantro. Serve immediately with cumin tortilla chips.

Cumin Dusted Tortillas:

Peanut oil, for deep frying
12 flour and/or blue corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt

1. Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a high-sided saute pan to 360 degrees F.
2. Fry the tortillas, in batches, until light golden brown.
3. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with cumin and salt.

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken, about 4 to 5 chicken breasts
1 (8-ounce) package shredded colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
Water

1. Preheat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl using a rubber spatula, combine the chicken, colby and Monterey cheese, cream cheese, red pepper, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and pepper.
3. Remove 1 pie crust from pie tin onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining pie crusts, making 12 to 15 circles total.
4. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture.
5. Place empanadas in deep-fryer for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Top with con queso dip.

Note: Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month

Chili Con Queso Dip

1 pound package Cheddar (recommended: Velveeta)
1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 teaspoons hot sauce

1. In a medium sauce pot, slowly melt Cheddar over medium/low heat.
2. When cheese is fully melted add tomatoes, chiles, and hot sauce, stirring with spoon until combined well.
3. Pour cheese dip into a small casserole dish and serve as a dip for the cheesy empanadas or pour on top for a real cheesy effect.

1 cup confectionary sugar
3 sticks salted butter (3/4 pound)
3 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream sugar and butter together in large mixing bowl.
3. Gradually add flour. Mix well.
4. Place into an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. Score into bite-size pieces and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until golden brown.
5. Cool and cut into squares.

1 (20-ounce) box fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 tablespoons sugar
2 bananas, sliced and tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup chopped nuts
Chocolate ice cream topping or chocolate syrup, for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 15-inch pizza pan. Prepare the brownie mix according to box directions. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until done. Remove from the oven and cool.
4. Beat the cream cheese, pineapple, and sugar together in a bowl. Use any reserved pineapple juice at this time, if needed, to soften the mixture to a good spreading consistency.
5. Spread the mixture over the cooled brownie crust. Arrange the banana and strawberry slices over the cream cheese mixture.
6. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts and drizzle with chocolate ice cream topping. Refrigerate.