Roasted Cauliflower

My kids, well two of them anyway, will actually eat cauliflower when it's prepared this way. (The third doesn't eat vegetables of any kind.) When I tell them we're having roasted cauliflower, one says "I don't want any roast on my cauliflower." I say, "OK".

1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
fresh pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower into small flowerettes, eliminating as much of the stem as possible, and put the pieces into a 9x13" baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over the cauliflower pieces and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Mix well. Grind pepper on top and place into oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some pieces are starting to turn crispy brown.

[Note: If you're serving this to adults, it would be nice to sprinkle fresh, finely chopped parsley on top, but if you're serving to kids, don't put anything green on or near it!]

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This is a very old recipe, but it's foolproof. I like it because it uses oil instead of butter, so you can be spontaneous and whip them up quickly, rather than waiting for your butter to soften (or accidentally melting it in the microwave as I usually do). Plus you can mix with a spoon, rather than a mixer, making it perfect for baking with little helpers.

(Note: I've also made this with cocoa powder when I haven't had chocolate - you can't even tell the difference!)

1/2 cup oil

4 squares (4 oz.) unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix oil, melted chocolate, and sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Add vanilla. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into the chocolate mixture. Chill several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into the powdered sugar. Roll into balls, making sure they're pretty heavily coated with the powdered sugar - this makes them prettier after they've baked. Place about 2" apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Don't overbake!

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Gorditas

[Disclaimer: I usually make mine as shown above, instead of splitting the shells open and stuffing them. It is better to split them open while still hot from frying and it burns my fingers, so we leave them intact. A *true* gordita would be split open and stuffed like a taco. But this still tastes the same!]


Makes approx 12 gorditas

Filling

1 lbs ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 TBS chopped garlic
2 fresh green chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped OR 1 small can chopped green chilies
1/4 tsp chile powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled, and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes


Shell

vegetable oil for frying

4 cups masa harina (found either in the flour section or in the Hispanic foods section)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red chile pepper
4 pieces of bacon, fried and crumbled (I have also used real bacon-bits with success)
4 TBS cobly, longhorn, or cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups water + 1 cup reserved


Toppings

shredded lettace
diced tomatoes
shredded cheese
diced onion
salsa or pico de gallo (recipe HERE)



Directions

Cook beef, onion, garlic, and diced green chile together. Salt and pepper as desired and add chile powder. Add diced potatoes and enough water to cook the potatoes until fork tender.

While meat is cooking, mix all ingredients for the shells. Add only 2 cups of water at first, reserving the remaining 1 cup.

Until you get a feel for the desired consistency, use your hands to mix ingredients. You are aiming for the feel and texture of play-dough. Slightly crumbly but hold together well when you form a ball. But not to wet, not to dry. Add the remaining 1 cup water as needed to acheive the desired texture. You can always add more, but you can not take water out. It will take a few tries before you get the right texture, don't give up!

Pinch off balls approx the size of a lemon. Form a tight ball and then flatten out to 1/2" thickness and about 3-4 inches in diameter. I pat and flatten out directly on a flat surface and then use a metal spatula to pick it up.

Heat oil in a large pan, place shells in oil and fry until golden brown, turn over and cook other side. Drain on paper towels.

If you want to stuff them, make a slit down the half of the side of the shell, open slightly and stuff with the meat mixture and toppings like you would a taco. Or you can simply top them off with the meat and toppings.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

4-5 lbs Chuck Roast, trimmed of excess fat
2 TBS vegetable oil
Lawry's Course Ground Garlic Salt
course ground black pepper
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
1 whole yellow onion, sliced
2 TBS chopped garlic
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
2 cans French Onion soup
3 cans fat free chicken broth
5 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 3" cubes
1 package of baby carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup of frozen corn or 1 can


Garlic-Salt and pepper both sides of the roast. In a large pot with a lid, add heat oil. Once oil is hot, carefully add the roast and brown all sides. Once roast is browned on all sides, add the peppercorns, onion, garlic, and soups. Add more garlic salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reduce heat to low-med to med. Being careful to not boil over. Cook for 4-6 hours depending on the thickness of your chuck roast, checking often and adding water to keep roast covered. During last hour of cooking add carrots, potatoes, mushrooms. Keep covered. During last 10 minutes add the corn. Potatoes and carrots should be fork tender.

Remove vegetables placing them in a large serving dish. Cut roast against the grain (roast should be very tender and fall apart as opposed to slicing). Place roast onto of vegetables. Raise temperature of the remaining juices and reduce down to a thicker gravy. Once reduced, place in a gravy boat or simply pour of the roast + veggies.

[I have always had better luck with a Chuck roast as opposed to other cuts of roast. I like it to be all one piece and not chunks tied together. I also like it to be trimmed of most of the extra fat. The key for having the roast "fall apart and be juicy and tender" is the Chuck roast, the soups, searing the meat, and the long cook time]

Key Lime Pie with Nut - Graham Crumb Crust

The best key lime pie I have ever tried, the crust is amazing too.

Crust
1c graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup almonds or macadamia nuts, toasted, cooled and ground in a food processor till about the diameter of a pencil lead.
1/2 stick (1/4c) butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar

Pie
3 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice (approx 3-4 Key limes)
grated rind of two of the limes

Meringue:
1/3 cup sugar
reserved egg whites

[I like this both with the egg white meringue or omitting the meringue and just using whipped cream instead]


Mix the crust ingredients well and press into a glass pie plate, going up the sides. Bake the shell at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the condensed milk and stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon filling into baked shell.

If making the meringue: place uncooked pie into the refrigerator for 1 hour. In a bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, beating, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filling and bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350'F oven for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is just golden. Chill the pie for 2 hours.

If making without the meringue: Chill pie for 1 hour and then bake at 350' for 15 minutes. Chill and then top with fresh whipped cream.


[recipe adapted from Gourmet 1990]

Salpicon

3 lbs brisket*
2 TBS vegetable oil
Lawry's course ground garlic salt
course ground black pepper
2 cans french onion soup
2 cans beef broth
1 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic or 2 TBS chopped jarred garlic
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 small can chopped green chili
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large tomato, chopped (I omit this since we eat with the pico de gallo)
1/2 lbs Monterey jack or low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
2 green onions, white and greens thinly sliced
2 large Avocados, cut into 1/2" cubes

pico de gallo recipe Found Here
sour cream
flour or corn tortillas, warmed over the stovetop

*In some parts of the US, brisket is not keep readily on display in the meat department, however you can ask the butcher for it, have them cut it to size and trim off the fat for you.

Place oil in a heavy pot and heat. Salt and pepper all sides of the brisket and sear each side in the oil. When all sides are well browned, carefully add the 4 cans of soup, the yellow onion, and half of the can of green chili. Cook covered over a medium heat for approx 4 hours until meat is tender and falls apart when touched. Remove from heat and place brisket on a plate, reserve the cooking liquid.

Cut the brisket diagonal to the grain of the meat into 3 sections. Using 2 forks, shread the meat. Place shredded meat in a large bowl. Separate the layer of fat from the reserved cooking liquid. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and the balsamic vinegar to the meat. Mix well. Add the red onion, remaining green chili, cilantro, tomato if using, the cubed cheese, green onion. Toss well and transfer to a platter.

Add the avocado on top (I serve on the side if I think I will have left overs as the avacado doesn't keep well).

Salpicon is served either cold or at room temperature.

Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

You can serve this several ways: cut the tortillas in quarters and spoon the Salpicon on to the quartered tortillas. Or fold whole tortillas and eat like a soft taco (as shown in the photo).

Pico de Gallo

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
the juice of one lime
1 TBS water

If you want a hotter pico, add more jalapeño and leave in the seeds.

Mix all ingredients together.

Spanish Rice

1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 TBS chopped garlic
1 cup of rice (use only a long cooking rice, such as Uncle Ben Long Grain 20 minute rice)
1/2 small can chopped green chili
1 (7oz) can Embasa brand Salsa Mexicana * see note below
1 3/4 cup water
Lawry's Course Ground Garlic Salt, to taste
Course Ground black pepper, to taste
2 stalks green onion, sliced thin
1/8 cup of cilantro, chopped

*found in the Mexican food section, comes in a can not a jar; if you can't find this or would like a mild rice, you can use a can of diced tomatoes. Don't use a regular salsa as the Embasa is more like canned tomatoes with a bit of added onion and jalapeños, it does not have the same consistency as a jarred salsa.

In a pot with a lid, heat the oil and add the white onion, garlic, and rice. Stirring constantly until onions are translucent. Add the salsa and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and place 3 paper towels folded in half one on top of the pot. Fit lid securely on top of paper towel. Do not walk away from the stove! The paper towel helps absorb extra steam so your rice will be loose and not sticky. This step is important. Cook 10 minutes, add garlic salt and pepper to taste, stir and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stir again, and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped green onion and cilantro. Serve.

Serves 3-4

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

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Takes less than five minutes to make the easiest cookie in the world.
(Even though they are called "cookies" they are more like a candy to me)

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 TBS cocoa
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or chunky)
3 cups dry quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup coconut (may omit)
2 tsp vanilla


1. Add the first four ingredients into a 4-quart sauce pan.
2. Bring to a rolling boil and hold for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in the next 4 ingredients and drop by tablespoons onto wax paper or foil.
5. Let cool until set.

Makes approx 20 cookies

Garlic Cheese Bread

BREAD
1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (found in the cake mix aisle)
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter
1 cup hot water


TOPPING
2 TBS melted butter
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
6 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, thinly sliced and chopped

You will be dividing the above topping ingredients between the 2 breads.


DIRECTIONS

Follow directions 1 thru 3 on box. Cover dough and let rest for 5 minutes. Grease two round cake pans or pie plates (if you have stoneware ones or glass ones, use them). Divide dough in half and pat each half into one of the pans. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.

Uncover and bake at 375' for 15-20 minutes until light brown.

Remove from oven and brush each round with 1 TBS melted butter. Top each round of bread with the cheeses, then top with sliced garlic and parsley. Return to oven until cheese is melted and starting to bubble and garlic is softening. Remove and slice into wedges.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

The marinara sauce is a combination of two favorite recipes from Buca di Beppo's cookbook. After you make this the first time, you will not need to look at the recipe again, it is so easy to make and much better than a jarred sauce.

SAUCE

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 1/2 - 2 TBS Italian Seasoning, to taste (I like 2)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsely
2 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes, not drained
salt to taste
pepper to taste
3 TBS chopped fresh basil

MEATBALLS

2 1/2 LBS ground beef
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup dry Italian style bread crumbs
4 large eggs
1/4 chopped garlic (I use the kind in the jar)
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

1 lbs thick style spaghetti cooked al dente.

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, combine meatball ingredients; mix well. Shape into golf ball sized meatballs. Set aside and let rest for 1 hour while making sauce.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden brown. Pour Italian seasoning into your palm and rub your palms together to "release" the dried herbs. Add to olive oil and onion mixture. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add parsley. Stir then add tomatoes and salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add uncooked meatballs to the sauce, cover and do not stir. Watch carefully. Sauce will increase in volume, but then it will reduce back by approx 1/3 by the end of cooking time.. Let simmer 35-45 minutes. Remove meatballs + sauce over hot spaghetti, garnish with fresh basil.

[store leftovers in a well sealed covered container as this is very garlicky and will permeate the refrigerator!]

Mississippi Mud Cake

A old family recipe. Very rich and delicious.

Cake
1 lb. butter
4 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
8 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
2 cups flaked coconut
2 cups chopped pecans

Icing
1 (14oz) jar marshmallow cream

2/3 cup cocoa
2 boxes powdered sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla


Cream butter, sugar and cocoa. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and baking powder. Gradually add the 3 cups flour. Fold in coconut and nuts.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 350' for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes clean. When cake is done and still hot, spread marshmallow cream over the top and let cake cool completely.

When cake is completely cooled, mix ingredients for icing (cocoa, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla) and spread over cake. Top with extra chopped pecans if desired.

Granny's Black Russian Cake

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Cake
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 c vegetable oil
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 c vodka
1/2 c Kahlua
1/4 c water

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Kahlua
1 tablespoons (or more) whipping cream

Mix cake ingrediants, beating well. Pour into a greased Bundt pan. Bake at 350' for 50-60min or until toothpick comes clean. Cool 10-20 minutes and then invert onto a cake rack.

Combine powdered sugar, Kahlua, 1 TBS cream in medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more cream by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if glaze is too thick to drizzle. Spoon glaze decoratively over top of cake; let stand at room temperature until glaze is firm, about 1 hour.

Layered Chocolate or Lemon or Lime Dessert

[We renamed this "Better Than Sex Dessert" among the adults in my family.]

Layer 1

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans

Layer 2

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Cool Whip

Layer 3

1 pkg instant chocolate (or lemon or lime) pudding mix
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
* if making lemon flavor, add 1 TBS fresh lemon/lime juice

Layer 4

1 large container of Cool Whip
*if making chocolate flavor pudding, top dessert with a grated milk chocolate bar, if making lemon or lime flavor top with fine shavings of lemon/lime peel.


DIRECTIONS

Layer 1: mix flour, butter and pecans. Press into a 9x13" pan. Bake at 325' for 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Layer 2: mix softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar with an electric mixture. Fold in by hand 1 cup cool whip. Spread over the baked layer.

Layer 3: With an electric mixture, beat together puddings and milk until smooth and thick. Spread over the cheese layer.

Layer 4: Spread cool whip over pudding layer forming nice swirls. Refrigerate several hours. Garnish with either shaved chocolate curls or the shaved citrus rind depending on flavor made.

Grigg's Mexican Cole Slaw

This recipe for a very different cole slaw comes from one of my favorite restaurants in Texas. The restaurants were family owned over several generations, we knew the daughter who ran it last, but Mr Griggs was always there to greet the patrons. This recipe is from their cookbook penned by her mother in 1968. It is a wonderful accompaniment to enchiladas or tacos.

1 small head green cabbage or 2 cups shredded (I use the shredded cabbage in a bag)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBS white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp course ground black pepper (I like more since it is key to the taste)

After cabbage is shredded, mix remaining ingredients together. Add to slaw, mix well, and chill well before serving. May be made several hours before, as is gives the flavors time to enhance.

Baked Potato Skins

6 small to medium sized russet baking potatoes
Olive oil
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Canola oil
salt
pepper
6 strips of bacon
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including the greens of the onions

Scrub the potatoes clean, place each potato on a square of foil, pour a small amount olive oil on each potato, sprinkle with Montreal Steak Seasoning, wrap each potato in the foil and place and bake in a 400°F oven for about an hour until the potatoes are cooked through and give a little when pressed.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half horizontally. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the insides, reserving the scooped potatoes for another use, leaving about 1/4 of an inch of potato on the skin.

Increase the heat of the oven to 450°F. Brush or rub canola oil (or another high smoke point oil, olive oil won't work) all over the potato skins, outside and in. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking rack in a roasting pan (don't use a cookie sheet, it will warp from the high heat, use a roasting pan or broiler pan).

Cook for 10 minutes on one side, then flip the skins over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Arrange the potato skins skin-side down on the roasting pan or rack. Sprinkle the insides with black pepper, cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven. Broil for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven. Using tongs to place the potatoes on a serving plate. Top with a dollop of sour cream on each skin, sprinkle with green onions. Serve.

Porcupine Meatballs II

[Very similar to Jess' recipe, but different enough to post]

1 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. uncooked rice (not minute rice)
1/3 c. onion, chopped
garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 c. water
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

mix hamburger, rice, onion, salt, pepper, egg, bread crumbs, and milk in bowl. Form desired size meatballs. Cook meatballs in a lightly coated pan until brown and cooked through. Add remaining ingredients to pan and continue to simmer until rice is done. Approx 20-30 minutes. Serve over rice.

[how I cook my rice: I use Uncle Ben's long grain 20 minute rice, cook according to directions on the package. Fold 3 paper towels slightly less than the width of the pot, lay paper towel across the pot and place lid on top. The paper towel absorbs the extra steam and leaves the rice perfect and not soggy. WARNING: do not walk away from the stove top]

Sweet Golden Cornbread

So much better than out of a box, and very easy to make.


1 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. yellow cornmeal
2/3 C. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 C. milk
1/3 C. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or lightly grease a 9" round cake pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir ingredients until blended. Next, stir in the egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

S'more Thumbprint Cookies

1 c butter, softened
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs (either pre-made or approx 16 cracker squares finely ground in a food processer)
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups miniature marshmallows
4 1.5 oz Hershey's milk chocolate bars, broken into 60 rectangles

Heat oven to 325.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat until blended. Add flour, graham cracker crumbs and salt, beat on low speed about 1 minute or until a stiff dough forms.

Shape dough into heaping teaspoon size balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. With thumb, make indentation in center of each.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are firm and edges are just beginning to brown. Lightly press 2 marshmallows in the center of each cookie, bake 2-3 minutes longer. Top marshmallows on each cookie with a rectangle of chocolate, let stand 2-3 minutes. With a tip of a knife, spread the melting chocolate over marshmallows. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Serve with a glass of milk!

approx 5 doz cookies

Super Easy Pecan Cookies

These are so easy to make and no one would ever know you didn't make the dough yourself!

1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup pecans, ground fine in a food processor
2 cups pecans, chopped medium fine
1 c milk chocolate chips
1 c white chocolate chips
2 freezer ziplock bags

Preheat oven to 350. Break up cookie dough in a large bowl, add cinnamon, vanilla, and fine ground pecans. Stir well. Form golf ball sized balls of dough. Roll each ball into chopped pecans. Place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand. Bake approx 8-12 minutes until a light golden brown. Remove cookies from oven and let cool slightly on sheet, then remove. Once cookies are completely cooled, melt milk chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring inbetween until smooth. Spoon milk chocolate into a ziplock bag and snip off a tiny opening in one of the bottom corners. Drizzle milk chocolate in one direction over cookies. Reapeat with the white chocolate, drizzling in the opposite direction, so that milk chocolate runs one direction and white runs crossing over it. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

Hannah's English Cookies

These never stay in the house very long when Hannah makes these.

1/2 c minus 1TBS. butter
1/4 c light brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBS milk
1/2 c hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 oz milk chocolate,coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Cream the butter with both types of sugar in a bowl, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt in another bowl, then sift into the creamed mixture, beating constantly with a wooden spoon. Add milk. Stir in the hazelnuts and chocolate. Scoop dough by the tablespoon for each cookie, space well apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for about 7-8 minutes.

Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let cookies cool slightly, then remove the cookies with a spatula and let cool on a wire rack.

Scandinavian Almond Bars

Hannah made these Christmas 2007 for the first time, they were simply amazing. They have the most wonderful almond flavor and a delicate texture. She requested that I post the recipe here.

1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg white
1 TBS water
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 c sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 15x10x1 pan with plain shortening. In a large bowl, break up the cookie dough. Stir in cinnamon and almond extract until well blended. With floured fingers press dough into pan to form a crust.

In a small bowl, beat egg white and water until frothy. Brush over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the sliced almonds and then the sugar. Press down slightly.

Bake 20 minutes or until edges are a light golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into either diamonds or squares.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

1 medium zucchini
1 medium summer squash
1 medium red pepper
1 medium yellow pepper
1 lb. fresh asparagus
1 red onion
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut all vegetables into bite sized pieces. Place vegetables onto a large roasting pan. Toss with olive oil, sal and pepper to mix and coat. Spread into t asingle layer on the pan. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender.

On occasion (if I have them on hands), I will coat some cherry tomatoes in olive oil and toss them in for the last 10 minutes of baking time.

Crabmeat Canapes

These are always gone in seconds, and can be made well ahead of time and frozen.

1 jar (5 oz.) Olde English cheese spread
1 small pkg. frozen Alaskan King crab, or imitation crab meat
1/4 lb. butter
1 1/2 Tbs. Mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. season salt
6 English muffins, split

Cream together cheese spread, butter, mayonnaise, garlic salt and season salt. Carefully fold in crab. Spread mixture evenly onto muffins. Freeze for at least 10 minutes. Cut the muffins into quarters or sixths. Broil in the oven for 5-8 minutes (watch carefully), and serve hot.

If you keep some of these in the freezer you will always be ready for unexpected company!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This recipe is really easy to make and great for those who like some spice in their recipes.

1 roasted chicken from the grocery store
1 jar (17.5 oz) Texas Pete Buffalo Wing Sauce (if you have a favorite you can substitute)
1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Remove meat from chicken and place in a bowl. Empty entire bottle of buffalo wing sauce onto chicken and stir to coat. Set aside. In a 9x9 or 9x13 pan (it depends on how large your chicken was and how thick you want the dip), spread the cream cheese in an even layer across the bottom. Next dump the chicken on top of the cream cheese and again, spread evenly. Sprinkle cheddar chhese over the top of the chicken coating evenly. Place pan in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the dip is heated through.

Serve warm with tortilla chips and a side of celery.

If you are trying to use up some chicken breasts that you have at home, what I do is boil 3-4 chicken breasts for 45 minutes, reserve the liquid to keep for a chicken soup and then shred the chicken breasts once they have cooled.