The Hungry Caterpillar

Bring the book to life through food!

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
Marinade:
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Fajitas:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red (or orange) pepper, cut into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice (a quick squeeze of a cut lime)
dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the top. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.After marinading, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 4-5 minutes per side (I use my indoor grill pan usually). Remove from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still crisp tender. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal and toss with the vegetables in the skillet. Serve immediately with flour tortillas and top with tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, cheese, sour cream...the options are endless!

Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:
2-1/2 c sugar
2 c vegetable oil
Oil from 2 Vitamin E capsules
10-12 drops essential peppermint oil
2 (16 oz) glass containers with lid

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Using a spatula, transfer mix into the container and secure lid. Contents will settle, mix before using. Scoop a teaspoon or two of the scrub on your hands and gently massage in circular motions onto your skin. Leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before thoroughly rinsing. The scrub will tighten on your skin.

Meditteranean Layer Dip

Ingredients:
hummus
plain fat-free greek yogurt
sliced fresh spinach
chopped roasted red peppers
chopped cucumbers
chopped tomatoes
black olives
chopped green onions
feta
chopped parsley
fresh lemon juice

Directions:
On a platter or plate, spread a thick layer of hummus.Top this with thin layer of greek yogurt, spreading almost to the edge, but leaving a 1/4-1/2 inch of the hummus uncovered.Next add a few handfuls of sliced fresh spinach.Top the spinach with the chopped peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, green onions, and parsley.Sprinkle the desired amount of feta cheese over top and squeeze the juice from 1/2 or 1 lemon over the entire dip.Serve with pita chips.Refrigerate leftovers.

Zucchini Pancakes

Ingredients: 2 medium zucchini, grated 2 large eggs 2 T red onion, grated 6-8 T flour 1 t salt 1/2 t pepper unsalted butter and olive oil Directions: Combine ingredients and add the extra flour if batter is runny. Heat 1/2 T butter and some oil in a saute pan. When butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium low and drop a spoonful of batter ino the pan. Cook each side for about 2 minutes each, until browned.

Rosemary Potato Gratin

Ingredients:
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 C heavy cream
1 C grated Fontina cheese
2 oz fresh rosemary, chopped fine

Directions:
Thinly slice the potatoes into a bowl with the cream. Grease the sides of a bread pan with butter or oil. Alternate layers of potato and cheese in the bread pan, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper and rosemary. Add enough cream to the bread pan to cover half the height of potatoes. Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes until potatoes are cooked.

Shrimp Tartlets

Ingredients:
18 slices white bread (picture used Peppridge Farm bread)
Refrigerated butter-flavored spray

Filling:
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup canned chopped green chilies
1/4 cup diced cooked shrimp
1 green onion, thinly sliced
18 whole small cooked shrimp
Paprika

Directions:
With a rolling pin, flatten bread to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter, cut out a circle from each slice. (Save scraps for another use.) Spritz both sides of circles with butter-flavored spray. Press into ungreased miniature muffin cups. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
In a large bowl, combine the cheese, chilies, diced shrimp and onion; spoon into cups. Top with whole shrimp and paprika. Broil 5-6 in. from the heat for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 pounds)
3 T flour
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 3/4 C chicken broth
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper

Directions:
Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to a uniform 1/2" thickness. Dredge lightly in flour, reserving excess. In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter with oil until it sizzles. Add chicken breasts and cook 4-5 minutes, turning over once, until juices run clear. Remove chicken to plate. Stir reserved flour into saute pan. Which in broth and lemon juice; heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute to thicken slightly. Return chicken to pan to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion
1 can Rotel
2 cans fire roasted cubed tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernal corn
2 T taco seasoning
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion, drain. Add to pot with other items (do not drain the canned ingredients). Bring to a boil. Add beef broth for desired soup thickness. Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, and shredded cheese.

Southwestern Cornbread

Ingredients:
1 8.5 oz pkg Jiffy cornbread/muffin mix
1 egg
2 T melted butter
1 4-oz can green chilies, drained
6 oz shredded pepper jack cheese (1 1/2 cups)
1 11-oz can Mexicorn, drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 8x12 inch or 11x7 glass baking dish. Mix first three ingredients together in a bowl using a fork to incorporate the ingredients, then add the chilies, corn and cheese. Pour into the dish (batter will be thick) and spread even. Bake for 22-25 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting to let melted cheese harden a bit. Serve with butter.

7-Up Cake

Ingredients:
3 sticks Butter
3 cups Sugar
5 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Butter Flavoring
2 teaspoons Lemon Flavoring
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 cup Sprite, 7-UP, Or Sierra Mist

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream butter. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Add butter and lemon extracts and mix well. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add soft drink, then mix together until combined. Scrape sides of bowl, then mix briefly.
Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the cake is no longer jiggly.
Remove cake from oven and invert pan until cake drops out. Slice and chow down!

Nedra's Reception Brie

Buy the baby brie from Costco and the Pesto from Costco. Lay the brie on a sheet of filo or puff pastry dough. Puff pastry is easier to work with. Then pour about 1/3 of the jar of pesto on the brie. You can roast some pine nuts and sprinkle those (generously) on top as well. Then wrap it up in the dough and bake until dough is golden. (Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Pastry should be golden brown.)

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
1 pound each ground beef and pork (or all beef if you prefer)
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons salt
Few grinds black pepper
2 teaspoons ground allspice
4 pieces white bread, crust removed, torn and soaked in whole milk

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons black currant jam
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves 1 (12 oz.) package of egg noodles

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Remove the onion to a plate and cool. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, egg yolks, heavy cream and onion. Add salt, pepper and allspice. Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add it to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands or wooden spoon.

The meatballs were very wet, so the bowl of cold water is very important. I was worried if the meatballs were going to hold up and they did! With a bowl of cold water standing by, form meatballs about 1-inch across. Dip your fingers in cold water, from time to time, to keep the meat from sticking to your hands.

Melt the remaining butter in the saute pan and once the foam has subsided add a layer of meatballs. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shake the pan once in awhile, to keep the meatballs round.
Brown all of the meatballs, in batches, removing them to a large oven safe dish when cooked.

Put the dish in the oven for about 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook them.

To make the sauce: Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around to coat the pan. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon or whisk to dissolve the flour into the fat. Pour in the chicken stock, and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is reduced and the mixture starts to thicken to a sauce. While the sauce is simering and thickening, book one 12 oz. package of egg noodles per package directions.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Lower the heat and stir in the cream and the black currant jam.

Add the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the meatballs are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon a portion of egg noodles onto a plate then add couple of meatballs onto each plate and spinkle with chopped parsley.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed, ends trimmed
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Place Brussels sprouts in a cast iron frying pan (or a roasting pan, but a cast iron frying pan will work great for this recipe). Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle Brussels sprouts with lemon juice. Toss with oil so that the sprouts are well coated. Sprinkle generously with salt (at least a half teaspoon) and a few turns of black pepper.
2 Put Brussels sprouts in oven on top rack, cook for 20 minutes, then stir so that the sprouts get coated with the oil in the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes. Then sprinkle with Parmesan (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes.
The sprouts should be nicely browned, some of the outside leaves crunchy, the interior should be cooked through.
Add more salt to taste. (Salting sufficiently is the key to success with this recipe.)

Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich

Ingredients:
One 3-pound chuck roast, rinsed and dried
2 medium onions, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes)
1 18-ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 sandwich or hamburger buns

Directions:
1 In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roughly chopping them in the pot. Add the barbecue sauce, increase heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chuck roast. Bring to a low simmer, cover and slow cook until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound frozen pearl onions
1/2 to 1 pound fresh mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
For Serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the diced bacon, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a large plate.
3. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon, and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
4. Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Return the beef and bacon to the pot with the juices. Add the wine and enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork, and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions.
6. In a separate skillet, saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned, and then add to the stew.
7. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
8. To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread, and sprinkle with parsley.

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
4. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.
5. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
If you’re freezing the second dish: Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months. To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Rocky Road S'more Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking dish.
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and graham cracker crumbs; stir until well blended. Press mixture onto bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle over the top with generous amounts of marshmallows, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars and remove from the baking dish.
Yields 3 dozen bars.

Butterscotch Marshmallow Blondies

Ingredients:
1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups large marshmallows cut in half (you can also use mini marshmallows...whatever you've got on hand)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butterscotch chips and butter, stirring constantly until smooth. When melted remove from heat and transfer the contents of the pan to a mixing bowl. As soon as the butter and chips are melted remove from heat and transfer contents of the pan to a mixing bowl. Be sure not to over heat the butter and butterscotch chips or they will separate and appear curdled.
Cool the butterscotch and butter mixture to room temperature. In a large bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and eggs into the butter and butterscotch mixture, making sure to blend everything together. The batter will be thick. in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Chocolate Dipped Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:
2 stick butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups oats
1 cup sweetened coconut
Dipping chocolate

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and extracts; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add oats and coconut; mix well. Form dough into round balls and flatten a bit and place on baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center is still soft. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, remove and cool completely. Once cookies are completely cooled melt dipping chocolate over double boiler or in microwave safe bowl. Dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.

Tangy Cucumber Cups

Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber (about 18-20" in length)
1/3 C rice wine vinegar
2 T honey
1/4 C sour cream
2 T mayonnaise
1/4 C chopped red onion
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
12 t dried dill weed
1/8 t salt

Directions:
Cut off and discard the cucumber ends. To make the cups decorative, peel off a stripe along each of three sides on the cucumber; then cut crosswise into 3/4" thick slices. Making sure to not go all the way through, scoop out and discard a little from the center of each slice using 1/2 t measuring spoon; set aside the slice cups.

Whisk together the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Add the cucumber cups; cover tightly and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream and mayo in a medium size bowl. Mix in the red onion, feta cheese, dill and salt.

Remove the cucumber cups from the marinade and fill each with approximately 1 t of the dressing. Arrange on a serving plate, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Apple Puff Pancake

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1 apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
5 large eggs
1/2 C milk
1/2 C flour
dash of salt
maple syrup or confectioner's sugar, for serving

Directions:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the butter brown sugar, and cinnamon in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Heat in the oven until the butter is melted and bubbly--5 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir well and mix in the apple slices. Return to the oven and bake for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender or food processor and process until frothy--1 minute. Pour over the apple mixture. Bake until the cake is puffed and the center is set--18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup or sprinkled with confectioner's sugar.

Cheese Toasts

Ingredients:
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (1/2 C)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C sliced green onions
1 baguete, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the mayo, cheese, garlic, and green onions in a small bowl. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown--8 to 10 minutes. Spread a couple teaspoonfuls of the cheese mixture on each slice and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly--2 to 3 mins more. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:
12-16 oz linguine(depending on how much pasta you like)
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1 cup fresh basil)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese

Directions:
Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
6 boneless chicken breast halves (2 lbs)
1/2 t garlic powder

Directions:
Mix cheese, garlic powder, and salad dressing mix. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F .In a small bowl sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg,vanilla and milk. Slowly add the flour mixture; mix well (at this point you can store the dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the cookies). Shape the dough into approximately 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan; the chocolate will be runny for several hours.

Ginger-Pumpkin Ice Cream Cookies

Pumpkin Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light cream
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin

Directions:
Scald light cream in a heavy saucepan. Whisk yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the light cream, add the spice. Return to saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes; do not boil. Removed from heat. Whisk in the heavy cream and the pumpkin. Strain into bowl. Refrigerate until well chilled. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Cranberry Pistachio Bars

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Topping:
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
powdered sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F. Combine 1 cup flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, combine egg, sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and vanilla in same small bowl. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Pour over hot, partially baked crust. Continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; cut into bars with sharp knife.

Bunco Salad

Ingredients:
3+ stalks of torn Romaine lettuce
1 medium apple (I used a gala)
1 medium pear
1/2 C dried cranberries
1 C chopped cashews
lemon juice
1/2 C shredded cheese (parm or swiss)

dressing:
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C cider or red wine vinegar
1 T onion powder
2 T poppyseeds
2 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
2/3 C oil

Directions:
Peel apple and pear and cut into small cubes. Soak in lemon juice to keep from browning. Put all ingredients in a salad bowl, adding cashews just before serving.

Mix the dressing and add as desired. I found it made more dressing than was needed.

Black Bottom Cheesecakes

Ingredients:
Filling:
1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
Topping: cherry pie filling

Directions:
In small bowl, blend filling ingredients until smooth, with mixer. Set aside.
In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients.
In large mixing bowl, beat egg, water, vinegar, oil and vanilla.
Stir in dry ingredients, until smooth.
Fill well greased cupcake tins, 3/4 full - if using mini size (1/2 full if using large size). This recipe will make about 48 tiny cupcakes.
Drop a 1/2 tsp of cheese filling in center of each cupcake. (1 tsp for larger size)
Bake at 350ºF for 15 min ( 20-25 min for larger size)

Split Pea Soup (Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:
2 cups split peas, washed
1 bay leaf
2 quarts water
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 teaspoon crushed basil
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 cup diced potato
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch cayenne

Direcctions:
Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduced heat, cover and simmer 1 hour or until split peas are cooked through. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Yield: 10 servings1 POINT per serving

Pumpkin and Maple Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Ingredients:
In one bowl, mix:
3 eggs
1 C canned pumpkin
1 C sugar
1/2 C oil
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 C milk
2 C flour
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla

In another bowl, mix:
3 eggs
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C molasses
1/2 C oil
1 T ginger
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 C milk
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 t salt
1 t maple extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all ingredients together. Pour each batter in rotating layers into a well greased & floured bundt pan. Run a knife through the layers to marble the batters together. Bake bundt for 52-55 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.

Sticky Popcorn (aka Bunch popcorn)

Ingredients:
1 1/3 c suger
1 c butter
1/2 c Karo syrup
1 t vanilla
1 large bowl popped popcorn (2 bags of no butter microwave popcorn)

Directions:
In a saucepan, mix together the sugar, butter, and Karo; boil together for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour over the popcorn and mix well.

Mimi's Cafe Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick)
6 tablespoons chopped onions
3/4 cup diced celery
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 cups cubed potatoes (1/2 inch pieces)
3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 dash white pepper
3 tablespoons flour
1 quart half-and-half cream

Directions:
1 Melt butter in large saucepan. Once melted add celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes (not til brown, just til soft).
2 Add water, potatoes, corn, sugar, salt and pepper, making sure water covers everything, adding more if not covered completely. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, usually about 30 minutes.
3 Whisk flour into 1 cup of the half and half and then stir into soup.
4 Add remaining half and half and simmer until soup is thickened to a creamy consistency (usually about 15 minutes).
5 Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if wanted. If the chowder is too thick, add some milk, if it is too thin, simmer for 5-10 minutes more.

Mimi's Cafe Buttermilk Spice Muffins

Ingredients:
Muffin Batter:
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Butter or margarine
3 Eggs
2-½ cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Nutmeg
½ tsp. Cinnamon
¾ cup + 1 tbsp. Buttermilk

Nut Topping:
½ cup Sugar
1 cup Walnuts (finely chopped)
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and the butter together with an electric mixer. When they are thoroughly mixed, add eggs and beat one more minute.
2. Sift the flour into a separate bowl, together with the baking soda, nutmeg and the cinnamon.
3. Add the flour and the buttermilk to the first mixture, mix at low speed until smooth. To avoid lumps in the batter, add the wet and dry ingredients alternately, in small amounts.
4. Make the nut topping: Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
5. Grease muffin tins with butter or margarine. You can also use paper baking cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of batter. Add a full, rounded tablespoon of nut topping on top of each muffin cup of batter. Bake immediately or the topping will sink to the bottom of the muffin.
6. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin should come out dry. Home ovens heat differently from commercial ovens so you may need to adjust the temperature or the baking time accordingly.Recipe yields 12 standard-size muffins, or six Mimi's-size muffins. If using the jumbo muffin pans, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.

Maple Brown Sugar Ham

Ingredients:
7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
2 cups pineapple juice

Directions:
Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

Baked Pasta With Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
10 ounces frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 9-oz. bag fresh spinach)
12 ounces precooked smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I find this in the same section/aisle as the hotdogs next to the precooked kielbasa and chorizo - I use the Jennie-O brand and it is precooked in a U-shape.
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.Stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling pasta right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to pot.Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9X13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8X8-inch pans). Top with grated fontina and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

*Freezable Meal: Prepare recipe right up until the baking step and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. To bake, increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours. If baking from frozen, bake covered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda3
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
2/3 cup mashed (canned) pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 X 10-inch jelly roll pan. Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and leave an inch overhang on each of the short ends of the pan. Lightly grease the wax paper and sides of the jelly roll pan.Mix the sugar, flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, eggs and pumpkin in a large bowl. Once mixed, pour mixture over the waxed paper. Sprinkle the walnuts, if using, on top of the mixture. Bake for 14-15 minutes until edges pull away from the sides of the pan and center is done.Lay a large dishtowel on the counter top (it is best to use a dishtowel without any texture - a tea towel or similar towel works best). Spread a thick dusting of powdered sugar all over the towel. When the cake comes out of the oven, turn the pan upside down on the powdered sugar-laden towel so the wax paper is on the top. Gently peel off the wax paper, being careful not to tear the roll. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the pumpkin cake up with the towel to cool. While the roll is cooling, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until it is light and creamy. Once the roll is cool, unroll and with an offset spatula, carefully spread filling in an even layer over the cake. Roll it up without the towel and place in the refrigerator (covered with plastic wrap or wax paper) for about an hour before serving.

Baby Food Spice Cake

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups flour
1 small jar (stage 2 size) baby food carrots
1 small jar (stage 2 size) baby food applesauce
1 small jar (stage 2 size) baby food peaches or apricots
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
Mix the above ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 X 13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.

Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 C butter
4 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Sunni: When I make it I usually double it, pour it in a sheet pan that's like 2" thick. I don't use all the batter. This cake rises a ton so be careful. With the leftover batter I make cupcakes. You will definitely want to double the frosting though! It's the BEST cream cheese frosting ever! Play with the baking times. This cake cooks kinda dark so it's hard to judge when it's done.

Coconut & Cashew Granola

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine maple syrup, oil and salt. Combine both mixtures by slowly pouring the liquid over the oatmeal mixture and stirring well. Divide in half and pour onto two 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheets, spreading out into an even layer on each sheet. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and transfer into a large bowl, slightly breaking up the clumps. Add the raisins and gently mix until even distributed.

Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup peeled and chopped baking apple (I used granny smith)
heaping tablespoon of raw sugar (demerara, turbinado or Sugar in the Raw)
extra cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about two minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat well. With the mixer set to low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add half the buttermilk and continue beating on low speed until incorporated. Scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture then remaining buttermilk. Finally beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined.
3. Scrape batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Scatter apple pieces evenly over the top of the cake batter then sprinkle evenly with raw sugar. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
4. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool until warm. Invert onto a plate.

Top with Salted Caramel Sauce if desired:

1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Let boil until amber in color, about 3 minutes.
Immediately add butter and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat, add cream and salt, and mix well. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate.

Pasta Rosa

Ingredients:
7 oz. penne pasta
3 oz. pancetta, diced
9 oz. bag of baby spinach leaves
2 oz. pine nuts
4 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, in oil and cut into 1/4 inch strips (or Julienne Cut)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
Goat Cheese, crumbled
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pine nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake the nuts for 3-4 minutes, or just until they start to brown and become fragrant. Remove the pine nuts from the oven, and set to the side.
Next, in a large pot or Dutch Oven, drizzle about 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Add pancetta and cook for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring often...until the pancetta becomes brown and is cooked thoroughly. Next, add the sun-dried tomatoes to the pan of pancetta, along with the flavored oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (about 1-2 tbsp). Continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to soften.
While the pancetta and tomatoes cook, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Let the pasta cook while you finish the rest of the recipe (10-11 minutes).
After 3-4 minutes, the sun-dried tomatoes will begin to soften. At this point, add the entire bag of spinach to the pot. Begin stirring the mixture, completely mixing the ingredients. Continuously saute/stir the mixture in the oil until the spinach is completely wilted and shiny. It should be a beautifully green color. Season with salt and pepper.
The spinach mixture should look like this...
Remove the spinach mixture from the pot and place on a platter, putting it to the side.
Next, drizzle a little more olive oil into the pot, if needed. Add the shrimp and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes. Once the shrimp is cooked through, add the spinach mixture back to the pot.
Add the pine nuts, stirring well. At this point, the pasta should be just about finished. Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Give it one final stir.
Plate the pasta and top with the crumbled goat cheese.
Serve immediately!

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. (I used one 14 X 20 and was able to get all 20 cookies on one sheet. Place about 3 inches apart and they won’t bake into each other.)
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes.
Add egg and mix until combined.
Add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.
Use a small 1 1/4 inch ice-cream scoop to form balls. Release in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll until covered. When coated, you can shape them in a nice round ball and place on the baking sheet. (reserve any leftover cinnamon sugar to top the cupcakes)
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies begin to crack. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

Cranberry Coconut Bars

Ingredients:
BASE:
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour
pinch of salt

TOPPING:.
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs flour
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1½ cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries
½ cup shredded coconut
powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8×8-inch pan with nonstick spray.
2. Prepare base: In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Stir in flour and salt until well combined and crumbly. Press into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake about 12 minutes until just barely golden around the edges.
3. Prepare topping: In the same bowl (no need to wash it) combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add egg and egg white, lemon juice and stir until well-blended and smooth.
4. Smooth cranberries and coconut evenly over the base. Pour lemon filling over top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until golden and set. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using, before cutting into squares.

Cracker Jacks

Ingredients:
½ cups Unpopped Pop Corn Kernels
2 cups Spanish Peanuts
1-½ cup Brown Sugar
⅓ cups Light Corn Syrup
½ cups Butter
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions:
In an air popper, pop the kernels according to your machine’s manual. My machine only allows you to pop 1/3 cups at a time, so make sure you follow your machine’s capacity instructions. You should have almost 4 quarts of popped popcorn using 1/2 cup of kernels.
Dump the popcorn and the Spanish peanuts in a clean tall paper grocery bag. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium sauce pan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt over medium heat and allow to gently boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Carefully and immediately pour caramel sauce into the paper grocery bag and stir the sauce, popcorn, and nuts with a wooden spoon until the sauce is evenly distributed. Take the popcorn mixture and evenly scatter it between both greased cookie sheets.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring the popcorn every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool and break up the pieces (if desired). Store in Ziploc bags or airtight containers.

Praline-Apple Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (8oz.) container sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples(about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 min. or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 min.
2. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.
3. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9-x5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.
4. Bake at 350* for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.
5. Bring butter and brown sugar to boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely(about 1 hour)

Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture, beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
5. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; then remove to wire rack.

Cauliflower Soup

http://cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.blogspot.com/2009/09/cauliflower-romano-garlic.html

Game Day Chile

Ingredients:
1 TB olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 lb mild turkey sausage, casings removed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
1 cup of grilled corn kernels, about 2-3 ears of corn
1 can chili beans, drained but not rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained but not rinsed
3 TB chili powder (I did a combination of regular chili powder, chipotle chili powder and New Mexico chili powder)
1 TB smoked paprika
1 TB cumin
1 TB garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
3 good pinches of salt
1 dried New Mexico chili, whole
1/2 bottle Sam Adams Octoberfest (if you prefer not to use beer, sub 1 cup red wine, chicken broth or water)
1 28 can of diced tomatoes
4 squares dark chocolate (about 1 oz), rough chopped

Directions:
Heat Dutch oven with 1 TB olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, season with salt and pepper. Add turkey sausage and crumble. Cook through, then add chopped peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes until peppers begin to soften. Add chili powder, spices, salt and dried chili and stir. Once all the spices have combined with veggies and meat, pour in half a bottle of Sam Adams Octoberfest (or any other beer you are drinking) and deglaze bottom of pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add in tomatoes and stir. Bring chili up to a boil then simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Add chocolate to chili and stir. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes on low heat. Taste for salt.Serve with your favorite toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, grilled corn kernels, chopped cilantro, green onions.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Divide turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Sprinkle 4 of the patties with 2 tablespoons red peppers and cheese, and top with remaining patties, working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Grill or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Harissa Steak Sandwich

Jeffrey Saad's runner-up recipe on "The Next Food Network Star"
Ingredients:
1 10-12 oz. New York strip steak or steak of your choice
3 Tb Harissa (Can buy it in the tube at many grocery stores or on line at http://www.kalustyans.com/ or http://www.surfas.com/ )
Salt and pepper
1 Tb olive oil
1/2 C. mayo
1/4 C fresh chopped mint
1/4 C chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic chopped
Pinch of salt
Sandwich rolls or bread of your choice
1 yellow tomato or tomato of your choice
2 C arugula leaves (watercress is good as well, spinach if you want less spice)

Directions:
Heat up your grill, grill pan or sauté pan to medium high.Season the steak with salt and pepper. Rub 1 Tb of the harissa on each side of the steak.Wipe down grill with a little oil. Place steak on grill and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip. Cook 3 more minutes (this will yield MR depending on the thickness of the steak. Adjust for your taste and for the size of the steak).While the steak is cooking place the mayo in a medium size bowl.In a small sauté pan over med heat add the olive oil. Once hot add the mint and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds just until you smell the perfume of the garlic and mint. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat off and stir. Stir mixture into the mayo. The warm mixture will immediately permeate the mayo with flavor and give it a beautiful color. Stir the remaining 1 Tb of Harissa into the mayo.

Grill the bread if you like. Spread mayo on both sides of the bread.Slice the steak and lay across the bread.Top with sliced tomato and arugula.

Makes 2-4 tasty sandwiches depending on how much meat you like.

*New York, Rib eye or Filet mignon will be a treat and will be very tender. The thicker the steak the better because you can get a nice crust on the steak and still have a MR, juicy center. A thin steak will often over cook by the time you get a crust. You can use a less expensive cut that will also be flavorful but I would recommend cutting it thin before grilling so it is more tender. The key is to not overcook the meat or you will lose the juiciness and tenderness. Also, make sure to let the steak sit for ten minutes before slicing to allow the juices to re-absorb. They will then absorb into your bread instead of being left on the cutting board.
*Don’t let the mint and garlic turn brown unless you like the more toasted flavor. I like to preserve the delicate perfume of the mint and garlic which then permeates the mayo and creates a fresh, bright balance to the deep, spicy richness of the harissa.
*Make sure your grill, grill pan or sauté pan is hot and oiled before you place the meat down or the moisture of the harissa will make the steak stick.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:
4 whole Egg Whites
¼ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Cream Of Tartar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1-½ cup Sugar
1-½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Prepare cookie sheet (either with grease, or parchament paper, or aluminum foil). Drop by heaping teaspoon-fulls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Undersides of cookies should be lightly tanned.

***In case you’ve never worked with egg whites and “soft” and “stiff peaks” before, don’t be intimidated! It’s a piece of cake (or…mmm…cookie). The way to test for those stages to just take some sort of spoon (or your mixing beater) and dip it into the batter and lift straight up. If the peaks curve down slightly when the spoon is lifted, you have “soft peaks”. If they stand straight up and don’t move, congrats — you have “stiff peaks”.

Spicy Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:
Cakes:
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided

Salsa:
2 ears of fresh corn, roasted and cut from the cob
1 diced peeled avocado
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
To prepare cakes, cook shrimp (salted and peppered) in a skillet sprayed with Pam until pink, place shrimp in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic to pan; sauté for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add shrimp, green onions, and the next 6 ingredients (through egg), stirring well. Stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup panko. Divide shrimp mixture into 5 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Pat panko bread crumbs on each side of the cakes while holding in your hand. The mixture is too loose to dredge. Chill at least one hour (I chilled them overnight).

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 3 cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Be careful will flipping the cakes. They crumble easily. Press down on the cakes with the back of the spatula a couple of times before flipping.

Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining cakes.
To prepare salsa, combine corn and remaining ingredients, except for the avocado; stir gently. Add the avocado and toss very gently. Serve immediately with shrimp cakes.

Soft Wrap Bread

Makes about 8-9 breads


Ingredients:
3 to 3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup potato flour OR 1/2 cup potato buds or flakes (I used potato flakes)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon instant yeast*

Directions:
Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a bread machine. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.In a separate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and 1 cup of the remaining flour with the salt, oil and yeast. Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, mixer or bread machine) to form a soft dough.

Note: You can allow the dough to go through the entire kneading cycle(s) in the bread machine, but it's not necessary; about a 5-minute knead in the machine, once it gets up to full kneading speed, is fine. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky (the dough is fairly stiff, so don't be worried - just be careful not to overflour the dough).

Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour (I let mine rise up to 2 hours). Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, around 3 ounces), cover, and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a 7- to 8-inch circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute per side (I cooked mine about 2-3 minutes per side and they didn't dry out), until they're puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out.

Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.*This recipe works best with instant yeast because it dissolves during the kneading process, so you don't have to knead liquid into the dough. If you really prefer to use active dry yeast, use only 1 cup boiling water for the initial dough, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, and add this mixture to the dough along with the potato flour mixture. It'll be somewhat "slippery" at first, but will knead in and eventually become smooth.

Chicken Gyros

Makes enough chicken and tzatziki for approximately 4-6 gyros.

Ingredients:

For the tzatziki sauce:

16 oz. plain yogurt (not fat free unless it is Oikos or Fage or another Greek-type yogurt)

1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:

4 cloves garlic, smashed

juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

fresh tomatoes, seeded

dicedRed onion, sliced thin

Directions:

To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible. (You won't believe how much liquid drains from the yogurt - it makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier. If you want to splurge on Greek yogurt, like Oikos or Fage, you won't need to strain it like this.)

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. (I sauted them in a hot skillet.) Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
1 pound bow tie pasta
3/4 cup Pesto
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
fresh basil
salt and pepper
olive oil, as needed
grilled chicken, cut into cubes

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and cubed chicken. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. Trim basil leaves into thin strips (about 5-7 leaves). You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.

S'more Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 20)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
7 Minute Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk and beat until batter is almost smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
5. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with grated milk chocolate or graham cracker crumbs or decorate as desired.


7 Minute Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy). Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use a culinary torch to brown the tops.