Grandma Linnea's Spice Cookies

1/2+ c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. (scant) molasses
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (scant) salt
3/4 teaspoon cloves

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses, mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Form into balls the size of small walnuts, then flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool 1 minute, then roll in powdered sugar.

Makes 7 dozen. 30 calories each.

NOTES: I think we cut the original recipe down because it made way too many cookies -- that's why the measurements are so odd. I put several cookies in a paper bag with powdered sugar and shake them rather than rolling in powdered sugar. For flattening, I dip the bottom of a small glass in granulated sugar (to keep the dough from sticking) and then press down the cookies. The cookies do spread during baking; I think they almost double in size (but you might want to check with Dana -- it's been a long time since I've made them).

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c. shortening
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, peanut butter, sugars and eggs. Blend all dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture. Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls, place on lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork, criss-cross style. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 6 dozen.

Bachelor's-Prize Chicken

4 Bone-in chicken breast halves (approx. 10 oz each)
1 c. nonfat plain yogurt
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pan with heavy foil.

Remove skin from chicken.

In a small bowl, blend yogurt, peanut butter and pepper until smooth. Dip the chicken in the mixture to coat eavenly and arrange pieces, rib side down, in a single layer on prepared pan.

Bake on top shelf of the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is richly browned and the juices are clear when the breast is pierced with a fork. Serves 4. Serve hot or cold.

Per serving: 350 calories; 12.8 grams total fat; 2.9 grams saturated fat; 116 mg. cholesterol; 220 mg. sodium; 49.4 grams protein; 8.4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber.

NOTE: I just use boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 5 ounces each. Works fine. Yum!

Cucumber Sandwiches

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian salad dressing mix
2 loaves French bread, cut into 1 inch slices
2 medium cucumbers, sliced
1 pinch dried dill weed

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and Italian dressing mix. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.

Spread the cream cheese blend onto slices of French bread. Top with a cucumber slice, and sprinkle with dill. You can make as many or few as you like. The cream cheese mixture keeps for about a week in the refrigerator so you can make them over and over again!

35 servings

Herbed Cream Cheese Cucumber Rounds

4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Pinch of cayenne, or to taste
1/2 medium seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped)
3 medium radishes
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Special equipment: a Japanese Benriner* or other adjustable-blade slicer
Garnish: finely grated fresh lemon zest

Stir together cream cheese, herbs, zest, lemon juice, table salt, and cayenne.

Slice 32 (1/8-inch-thick) rounds from cucumber with slicer. Trim bottoms from radishes, then slice into 32 (1/16-inch-thick) rounds with slicer. Top each cucumber slice with a radish slice and 1/2 teaspoon herbed cream cheese. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve immediately.

Makes 32 hors d'oeuvres

Pesto Goat Cheese Spread

4 oz soft mild goat cheese at room temperature
2 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup pesto

Stir together all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Serve with crackers or toasts. Keeps covered and chilled for up to one week.

Olive Spread With Walnuts

1 3/4 cups pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives (about 1/2 pound pitted)
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Finely chop black olives and 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts in processor. Add olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, and cayenne pepper and process until coarsely pureed. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts. (Spread can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.) Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Coconut Curry Chicken

2 Chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 C unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 T Canola (or other flavorless) oil

3/4 C light coconut milk
1 T curry powder (or to taste)
1/4 t garam marsala
2 t lime juice
1/2 t fish sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
2 green onions, sliced

Pre-heat oven to 350. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in coconut. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the chicken, cooking until golden browwn, about 4 min per side. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet or a piece of foil and bake in oven for 15-20 min, or until cooked through.

Combine remaining ingredients in the pan you cooked the chicken in. Simmer over medium heat until it is reduced by nearly half and slightly thickened- about 10 min. Plate chicken and pour sauce over the top. Serves 2.


Amount Per Serving
Calories 322
Calories from Fat 179

Total Fat 19.9g (31%)
Saturated Fat 8.9g (44%)
Cholesterol 72mg (24%)
Sodium 203mg (8%)
Total Carbohydrates 6.5g (2%)
Dietary Fiber 2.4g (9%)
Sugars 2.6g
Protein 27.5g
Vitamin A 4% • Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 7% • Iron 16%
Nutrition Grade C+

Notes: You could cut out a lot of the sat. fat by skipping the coconut "breading" and just sautee the chicken in the oil, naked. It'd still be yummy and it'd be healthier, but the coconut gived it a little crunch and makes it prettier. Leaving out the coconut brings it down to 287 calories, 16.5g of fat and 6 grams of saturated fat.

Baked Pesto Chicken

4 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup shredded mozaralla cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup of the pesto in a 9x13" baking dish. Lay chicken over pesto in an even layer. Spread with remaining pesto.

Cover and bake 20-25 min, until chicken is cooked through. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 min. Serve hot.

4 servings:
Cal: 390
Fat: 20g
sat: 5g
Protein: 46g
Carb: 2g
fiber: 0g
Sodium: 450mg

Turkey (or chicken) Parmesan

2 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1 oz grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 c)
1/2 t dry Italian seasoning
1 pound turkey or chicken cutlets, about 1/3" thick in 4 pieces
2 t olive oil
2 oz shredded mozzarella

Heat oven to broil. Heat sauce on stove and keep warm. Combine pine nuts, parmesan and Italian seasining in a wide, shallow dish. Season meat on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge in the mixture, pressing to adhere.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add meat and cook until coating is golden brown and juices run clear, about 4 min per side. If nuts are browning too quickly, reduce heat.

Place meat in a baking pan and top evenly with cheese and broil until cheese is melty, less than 1 min. Spoon 1/2 cup of sauce on each plate and top each with a piece of meat.

Serves 4:
Cal: 380
Fat: 21
sat: 4
Protein: 39g
Carb: 10g
fiber: 3g
Sodium: 650mg

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

1.5 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
2-3 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450. Toss broccoli with garlic, oil and sesonings. Spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 min, or until broccoli is just starting to brown. Serves 4


Nutritional Information:
Serving Size 186 g

Calories 156
Calories from Fat 97

Total Fat 10.8g 17%
Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 57mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 13.3g 4%
Dietary Fiber 4.5g 18%
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 5.2g
Vitamin A 22% • Vitamin C 256%
Calcium 9% • Iron 8%
Nutrition Grade A

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3-4 lb. boneless pork roast
2 T. cajun seasoning
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 C beef broth
1 bottle BBQ sauce
honey to taste


Trim as much fat off pork as possible. Sprinkle cajun seasoning on all sides of pork and rub in. Put pork, onions, garlic, and broth in slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours.

Turn temperature down to warm. Leaving pork in the slow cooker, strain out onions and drain out liquid. Break pork apart with a spoon. Add BBQ sauce and honey and stir together. Warm for another hour or so and serve on buns.

8-12 servings

Cornbread Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1.5 cup flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen corn, thawed

*Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and pre-heat oven to 400.
*In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, honey, eggs and salt. Mix in flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Stir in milk and corn.
*Spoon batter into muffin tin and bake @ 400 for 20-25 min, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 81 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 244
Calories from Fat 83
Total Fat 9.2g (14%)*
Saturated Fat 4.3g (21%)*
Cholesterol 52mg (17%)*
Sodium 172mg (7%)*
Total Carbohydrates 37.7g (13%)*
Dietary Fiber 1.3g (5%)*
Sugars 18.0g
Protein 4.0g
Vitamin A 7% • Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 2% • Iron 7%
Nutrition Grade C
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Originally this sauce was intended to be served over slices of polenta, but I recommend it on pork chops or medallions or even over pasta.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 pound mushrooms, such as white or cremini, sliced
2 cups stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms (4 1/2 ounces with stems)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2/3 cup shredded fontina cheese (see Note)
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in wine; bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in cheese and tarragon. Serve the sauce over the meat of your choice.

NOTE:
If you can’t find fontina, substitute another melting cheese, such as Gruyère or Swiss.

Chocolate Mousse

4 oz Dark Chocolate
2 T Butter
4 Eggs, seperated
1/4 C Heavy Cream
4 T Sugar, seperated
1t Vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter together until just melted, using a double boiler. Remove from heat. Add egg yolks, mix throughly and set aside.

Beat egg whites and 2T of sugar until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Whip cream, vanilla and remaining sugar until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Chill. Serves 6

Notes: The eggs are raw, so use pasteurized if you can find them. You can get away with using Just Whites (like Egg Beaters, but just whites) and skip the yolks if you want. Either way works well. Also, the mousse will set faster in individual servings, so you can have it ready to eat in just 2 hours that way. It is also good spread in a graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream.

Marinated Flank Steak With Horseradish Sauce

STEAK
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C dry white wine
1/2 onion, chopped
3 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 2-pound flank steak, trimmed

SAUCE
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 green onions, chopped

Romaine lettuce leaves

FOR STEAK: Combine first 6 ingredients in glass baking dish. Add steak and turn to coat. Cover and marinate overnight, turning occasionally.

FOR SAUCE: Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Season with generous amount of pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Prepare barbecue (high heat). Drain steak. Season steak with generous amount of pepper. Grill to desired doneness, basting occasionally with marinade, about 6 minutes per side for rare. Transfer steak to plate and let stand at least 15 minutes. (Can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead.) Cut steak across grain into thin diagonal slices. Line platter with romaine leaves. Top with steak. Serve warm or at room temperature with horseradish sauce.

Hummus and Zucchini Soup

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion
1 pound zucchini, sliced (peeled if you want a paler soup)
2 C veggie or chicken broth
6 oz hummus
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Finely chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

Heat oil in sauce pan over med heat. Add onion and zucchini and cover. Cook 3 min. Add stock and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 min. Puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Add hummus and blend. Return soup to sauce pan and reheat gently over med heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve. Serves 4.

NOTES:
A good summer soup, too, served cold.
Serve with flatbread or Naan.

Deb's Tomato Basil Soup

48 oz diced tomatoes (2 of the huge cans)
4 C milk
4 C cream
3 C V8 (or similar)
3 C shredded carrots (about 4 med-lg)
1 large onion diced
1.5 T dry basil
2.5 tsp pepper
2.5 tsp salt
2.5 tsp garlic powder

Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, mix 1 C water and 1 C flour. Slowly dump this mixture into the boiling soup and stir without stopping until well incorporated. Simmer for 5 min.

NOTES:
Makes a TON (1.5 gallons)
Use half and half or whole milk instead of cream to reduce calories.

Baked Brie

1 tin of crescent rolls (like Pillsbury)
A small round of Brie
1 can of cranberry sauce

Unroll crescent rolls- do not separate. Pinch cuts together. Put a mound of cranberry sauce in the middle (maybe 1/4 C) and place Brie on top. Fold dough around brie and pinch to seal the seams. Turn over so the seams are under the brie and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 45 min, serve warm with crackers, bread and fruit.

NOTES:
Try it with gouda instead of brie and leave out the cranberry sauce.

Mom Warwick's Buttermilk Waffles

4 eggs
4 C buttermilk
4 C flour
1/2 C oil
2 tsp baking soda
2 T boiling water

Separate the eggs. Put whites in a small bowl. Put yolks in a large bowl and add the flour and buttermilk. Set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Transfer beaters to the other bowl and beat until smooth. Add oil and mix thoroughly. Add soda to boiling water and stir. Add to main mixture. Blend well. Fold in egg whites carefully. Proceed to waffle.

NOTES:
We make it with all whole wheat flour.
To reduce recipe figure 1 C flour per person.

Hot Feta Artichoke Dip

14oz can or jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 pkg crumbled feta cheese (plain or flavored)
1 C mayo
1/2 C parmesan cheese, shredded
2oz jar pimentos, drained
Garlic, minced- at least 4 cloves, I usually use 6, but I love garlic!

Mix everything together and put in a casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 until hot (15-20 min). Serve with breads and crackers.