Lavender French Cream

from 42nd Street Cafe, Longview, WA

1.5 tsp lavender buds, crumbled
1 cup sour cream (you can use light, if you want)
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar (recipe originally calls for Splenda, which also works well)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz cream cheese (low-fat works well)
1/2 tsp vanilla
zest of 1/2 lemon

3/4 pound fresh berries (if using strawberries, quarter them)
1/8 tsp each, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 tsp rosewater
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda (less if the berries are sweet)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm and well combined. Don't boil.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let it soften for 1 minute. Gently heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir into cream mixture.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add cream mixture, vanilla and zest. Divide into wine glasses and chill for 6+ hours.

Gently toss berries, remaining sugar rosewater and spices. Let sit at room temperature while the french cream is chilling.

Serve the French Cream with berries on top. If desired, top with sweetened whipped cream.

Butter Bars

1 yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (melted)
1 egg

Mix together and pat down into a 9x13 pan to make the crust

Next mix together
8 oz cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powdered sugar
1 c brown sugar

Pour over crust and bake for 40 minutes at 350.

It will look jiggly and not done when it first comes out of the oven. It is. It will set up as it cools.

Eggnog Ice Cream

2 cups eggnog (light or regular)
1 cup milk (any fat)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Freeze in an ice cream maker. Put in an air-tight container and store in the freezer.

Makes 1.5 quarts.

Mushroom Rice Casserole

1 pound brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slight
ly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.

Serves about 8.



Amount Per Serving (8 servings)
Calories: 193
Calories from Fat: 56

Total Fat 6.3g 10%
Saturated Fat 3.1g 16%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 391mg 16%
Total Carbohydrates 23.8g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2.2g 9%
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 11.1g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 13% • Iron 6%
Nutrition Grade B+

Second-Best Currant Cream Scones

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1/2 cup currants
• Cream for brushing
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with baking parchment.
2. Sift flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. Rub butter and sugar into flour to form a fine crumble. Make a well in center, and add milk and currants. Knead gently together, being careful not to over mix. Dough will be sticky.
3. Form dough into a flat round, about 3/4” thick. Cut like a pie into six triangles. Transfer to prepared pan, brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with vanilla sugar if desired. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.
4. Bake in preheated oven until risen and lightly golden on top, about 18 minutes minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

NOTE: These scones are a bit more tender than some might prefer (if you like to load your scones up with lots of lemon curd and clotted crème), but they have a really delicious flavor. When Dana and I tested the recipe we doubled it and had no trouble eating the resultant dozen scones. ;>)

Also, we discovered that it works well to prepare the dough, shape the scones, and then wrap and freeze them. When you want fresh scones you can pull out what you need, brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar, let sit 15 minutes while the oven heats, then bake. They are delicious!

Lime Garlic Chicken with Rice

1.25 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbs butter or margarine
1 cup uncooked instant rice
Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Place chicken in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except rice and parsley. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8-10 hours.

During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in rice.

Remove chicken from cooker. Place cooked rice on each serving plate. Top with chicken. Spoon any remining juices over chicken. Garnish with parsley. 6 servings.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 215
Fat: 9g
Protein: 16g

Note: I have not made this recipe but it sure sounds good!

White Chicken Chili

1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cans (15.8 oz ea) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 envelope (1.25 oz) Old El Paso less-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 can (10.75 oz) Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup chicken broth
Sour Cream, if desired
Chopped green onions, if desired (they do add a lot)

Place chicken in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Top with remaining ingredients except sour cream and onions. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Before serving, gently stir to break up chicken pieces. Served topped with sour cream and onions. 6 servings, 1-1/3 cups each.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 314
Fat: 3.7 g
Protein: 31 g

Apple Pie

1 pie crust
4-6 apples (preferably Harrelsons)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Prepare pie crust (or purchase a ready-made crust) for a 9" deep dish pie plate. Peel and slice apples into the crust, heaping. Pour sugar and cinnamon over the apples and shake the plate a bit so it settles (I turn some of the apple slices over so the cinnamon is facing into the pie).

With a fork, mix topping ingredients together:

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup soft butter or margarine
3/4 cup flour

Sprinkle topping on top of pie and pat lightly. Place the pie on a foil-lined pan into a pre-heated 450 degree oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes more.


To freeze: Make as directed, but don't bake. Wrap tightly and freeze. To bake, allow frozen pie to sit on the stovetop as the oven preheats. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes, then at 350F for 40 minutes. Apples will be more toothsome and the pie will sink less- even better than baked fresh.

Chocolate Crinkles

from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking

5 1/2 Tbs butter
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup brewed coffee, cooled
1 3/4 cups spelt flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups chocolate chips

2/3 cup powdered sugar for dusting


Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, soda and salt. Beat in the egg and coffee, scraping the bowl, then stir in the flour, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough overnight.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. Place powdered sugar in a bag. Drop dough into powdered sugar by the tablespoon and shake to coat. Place coated balls of dough on cookie sheets and bake for 11 min, or until set around the edges and still soft in the middle. Remove from oven and loosen cookies on sheetwithout lifting after 10 min. allow to cool completely on the cookie sheet.

These cookies are delicate and may not travel well.

Curried Couscous

time: 15 min
servings: 4
skill level: easy

1 ½ cups couscous
3 cups chicken stock
1 Tbs curry powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp pepper (or to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ cup raisins
3-4 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Bring everything except for the cilantro and almonds to a boil in a large pot. Cover, remove from heat and let sit for 10 min. Add cilantro and almonds, fluff with a fork.

Ravioli with Sweet Potatoes, Mustard Greens and Country Ham

for the dough
1.75-2 cups all-purpose flour (or you can go up to half whole wheat)
2 extra large eggs
1/2 tsp olive oil
water as needed

for the filling
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 Tbs sliced chives
1/2 Tbs chopped parsley

the rest
1 cup coarsely chopped mustard greens (or kale, chard, etc)
1 Tbs bacon fat or olive oil
1 ounce country ham or prosciutto, cut into strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving


Mound flour on a large wooden board or marble slab to forma peak with a well in the center. Place eggs and oil in the well and, using a fork, mix them together, gradually bringing in a little flour from the sides. Continue adding flour gradually until the dough comes together and the flour is incorporated. Add water by wetting your hands, as needed, to get a workable dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5-7 min- it will still be a little sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30-60 min.

Combine potatoes. ricotta and herbs in a bowl, stirring well to blend.

Remove dough from fridge and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll the dough out very thin, using a pasta machine or a rolling pin. Cut the dough into 4" squares and fill place 1 tsp of filling on each. wet the edges of the square adn fold over, pressing seams closed firmly.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbs of bacon fat or oil. Add chopped greens and ham and cook just until the greens wilt. Remove from heat.

Cook ravioli in salted water, drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Return ravioli and water to the pot. Add the butter, the greens mix, salt, pepper and cheese. Toss until butter is melted. Serve with extra cheese.

Serves 6.

Note: you can freeze the uncooked ravioli by putting them in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Once frozen, transfer to a container for storage. Cook, without thawing, as directed above.

Derby Pie

A Kentucky classic...


2 deep dish or 3 regular pie crusts, unbaked and in pie plates (a shortbread crust is ultra-decadent)

Filling:
10 oz chocolate, melted (bittersweet or dark)
6 large eggs
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/3 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup bourbon (such as Maker's Mark)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
4 cups (about 16 ounces) walnut halves, coarsely chopped and toasted


Preheat oven to 350.

Melt chocolate and spread in the bottom of the prepared pie crusts.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Whisk in both sugars, then next 5 ingredients. Stir in walnuts. Divide filling into prepared crusts.

Bake pies until filling is puffed and just set in center (filling may begin to crack), about 55 minutes. Cool pies completely on rack.

Store at room temperature for a day, in the fridge for a few days or freeze for a couple of months. Serve at room temperature or warmed.

Pimento Cheese

12 oz whipped cream cheese
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)
4 oz pimentos, drained
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Crackers, for serving

Process cream cheese, cheddar, pimentos, and Tabasco in a food processor until coarsely pureed. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers.

Makes 3 cups.

{From Martha Stewart}

Barbecued Pork and Apple Kababs

1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds (about 1 1/2 inches each) pork tenderloin, halved lengthwise and cut into 16 cubes
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
Heat grill to medium-high. Make the sauce: In a large bowl, combine jam, vinegar, tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble 4 long skewers, alternating 4 pork cubes with 2 onion wedges and 2 apple wedges on each (begin with pork and end with apple). Roll skewers in remaining tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil grates. Place skewers on grill; cover grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks are visible, 6 to 8 minutes.

Open grill; baste skewers with some sauce, and cook, turning skewers and basting occasionally with more sauce, until pork is no longer pink in the center and is nicely glazed, 4 to 8 minutes more.

Serves 4.

{From Martha Stewart}

Broccoli Crunch

4 -5 cups tiny broccoli florets (and chopped stalks if you like)

1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup almond butter
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water

2 small crisp apples, cut into bit-sized pieces (if you aren't going to use the apples immediately, let them sit in a bowl of water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon)

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup toasted or candied walnuts or almonds
1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots *(see note)
chives (optional)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt as you would pasta water. Boil the broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge of - 10 or 15 seconds. Drain and immerse it in cold water (or let cold water run over it). At this point, I like to spin the broccoli in a salad spinner to get the water off, but a few good knocks against the sink in a strainer can do the trick pretty well. Set aside.

Make the dressing by sprinkling the salt over the clove of garlic. Smash the clove and chop, smash and chop - turning it into a paste. In a small bowl whisk the salty garlic paste with the almond butter, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add the hot water and whisk until light and creamy. Taste, make any adjustments and set aside.

In a large bowl gently toss the broccoli, apples, red onion, most of the shallots and nuts with a generous drizzle of the almond dressing. Turn out onto a platter and finish with the rest of the shallots and chives if you like. Serve family style.

Serves 4.

*Stir together the shallots, a splash of clarified butter (or olive oil) and big pinch of salt In a large skillet over medium heat. Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about fifteen minutes. Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn), and if needed turn down the heat. Remove from skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer where they will crisp up a bit.

{From 101 Cookbooks}

Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 can garbanzo beans, or dried equivalent
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Tahini Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.

Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and half of the dressing. Add more dressing if you like and season with more salt to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro.

Serves 4.

{From 101 Cookbooks}

Carmelized Onion Dip

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), finely chopped
3/4 cup sour cream (low-fat is fine if you like)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (low-fat is fine if you like)
3 teaspoons dehydrated onion powder/granulates (salt-free, natural)very scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large thick-bottomed skillet over medium heat saute the chopped onions in the olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt. Stir occasionally with a wood or metal spatula and cook until the onions are deeply golden, brown, and caramelized - roughly 40 or 50 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

In the meantime, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, onion powder, and salt. The important thing is to add whatever onion powder you are using to taste. Add a bit at a time until it tastes really good. Set aside until the caramelized onions have cooled to room temperature. Stir in 2/3 of the caramelized onions, scoop into a serving bowl, and top with the remaining onions. I think this dip is best at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups.

{From 101 Cookbooks}

Homemade Thin Mints

Chocolate Wafers:
8 ounces organic butter, room temperature
1 cup organic powdered sugar, (I use Wholesome Sweeteners brand)
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 cup cocoa powder (I use Dagoba's cacao powder)
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Chocolate Peppermint Coating:
1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
natural peppermint oil to taste

Preheat your oven to 350. Racks in the middle zone.

Make the cookie dough: In a mixer cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and cream some more, scraping the sides of the bowl a couple times if necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract and then the salt and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter is smooth and creamy, sort of like a thick frosting. Add the whole wheat pastry flour and mix just until the batter is no longer dusty looking, it might still be a bit crumbly, and that's o.k. You don't want to over mix and end up with tough cookies.

Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and kneed it just once or twice to bring it together into once nice, smooth mass. Place the ball of dough into a large plastic bag and flatten it into a disk roughly 3/4-inch thick. Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.

Rollout and bake: Remove the dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin, remember how thin Thin Mints are? That's how thin you need your dough, about 1/8-inch. You can either roll it out between two sheets of plastic, or dust your counter and rolling pin with a bit of flour and do it that way. Stamp out cookies using a 1 1/2-inch cutter (this time I used one with a fluted edge, I've done hearts and other shapes in the past). Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a baking rack if you've got one.

{NOTE} When I made these, I rolled the dough into a log and wrapped with plastic wrap. I stuck it in the fridge overnight and then sliced it thin with a sharp knife. I then baked as directed.

Make the peppermint coating:
While the cookies are in the oven you can get the coating ready. I use a makeshift double boiler to melt chocolate (a metal pan over a saucepan of gently simmering water), but I know many people who swear by melting chocolate in the microwave. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until it is glossy and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. I started with 1 tsp. If you think the chocolate needs a bit more peppermint kick, add more extract a drop or two at a time - but don't go overboard. If the chocolate is too thick and breaking your cookies, add a bit of flavorless oil (canola or veggie). The chocolate will then melt at lower temperatures (making cheap chocolate seem nicer), but that's not an issue if you're keeping them in the fridge or freezer.

Finishing the cookies: You are going to coat the cookies one at a time and then gently set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. Drop one cookie into the chocolate and (using a fork) carefully make sure it gets fully coated. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan to drain any extra chocolate off the cookie. You are after a thin, even coating of chocolate. Place on the aforementioned prepared baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set. They will set at room temperature, it just takes much longer, and I prefer them straight out of the freezer anyways ;)

Make 3 or 4 dozen cookies {NOTE} When using the log method, I got 6 dozen cookies out of a batch.

recipe found here

Chicken Alfredo

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup cream
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
2 chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley

1 pound penne pasta

In a large sauce pan, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Reduce heat to low and add cream, garlic and parmesan. Heat on low, stirring often, until cheese melts- this will take a while. Add chicken, tomatoes and parsley- keep warm.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook penne according to package instructions. Drain and toss with sauce. Serve.

Serves 6-8

Naan

2 cups flour (white has the best flavor, but it works with whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbs vegetable oil
small amount of oil for bowl

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine egg, yogurt and 2 Tbs oil. Add liquid mix to dry mix to form a dough. Turn doug out on a lightly floured surface and knead until soft. If needed, add water by wetting hands during kneading. Put dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and let sit for 2 hours.

Divide dough into 4 balls. Use a rolling pin to flatten each ball into a round, about 1/4" thick.

Heat a skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Cook each piece until lightly browned, about 5 min. Turn over and cook about 5 min more.

Caramel Corn

1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar (I use the dark brown kind)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cut light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
8 quarts popped popcorn


Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Over medium heat combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup and boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Use a larger pot with higher sides than you think you will need, and here's why.

Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. This will create some kind of incredible reaction. The caramel doubles in volume and looks like The Blob and burbles up like some kid's volcano model for science class. Watch out.

Pour the caramel over the popped corn, which will do best in a roasting pan. Apply considerable amounts of elbow grease to coat the popcorn well.

Bake for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread the finished corn on waxed paper to dry out.

Chile Pea Puffs

nonstick cooking spray (HS note: or a bit of olive oil)
2 cups cooked green peas, lightly mashed
1/2 cup crumbled paneer (or any cheese that crumples- I used feta)
2 small green serrano chiles, minced (remove seeds to reduce heat)
1/4 teaspoon salt to start
1/4 teaspoon red chile powder or red chile flakes (less to reduce heat)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pack medium wonton wrappers


Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray (HS note: or line with parchment paper).

In a bowl combine the peas, paneer, green chiles, salt, chile powder, and garlic. Mix well.

Place one teaspoon of the mixture into a center of a wonton wrapper. Lightly brush the sides og the wrapper with water. Fold the wrapper over to form a triangle, or if you are using round wrappers, fold to form a half-moon. Press the edges firmly to secure the seam so the filling does not fall out.

Place the puffs in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes per side or until they are crisp and the skin changes to a lovely golden brown. Serve immediately with your choice of chutney.

Makes about 50

Note: these freeze well, so if you don't want 50 right now, freeze before spraying/baking.

Ginger Cookies

Ginger Cookies

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 heaping tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 heaping teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 cup white sugar with 1 T ginger mixed in for decoration

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs, and then the molasses and honey. Combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, heaping the measures if you like a lot of spice. Stir the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture just until blended.

Roll the dough into small balls, and roll each ball in the remaining white sugar. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the tops are cracked. Bake longer for crispy cookies, less time for chewy cookies. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 4-5 dozen, depending on how big you make them

Napa Cabbage Salad

Dressing
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs tamari
1 tea olive or grape seed oil
1/2 tea grated, peeled fresh ginger
dash of ground red pepper

Slaw
4 cups (1/4 inch) slices napa cabbage
1/2 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup julienne-cut peeled jicama
1/4 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
2 tbs thinly sliced green onions
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro

Combine dressing ingredients, stir with whisk
Mix veggies and stir in dressing.  Chill 30 minutes

Alternate dressing
2 tea grated orange rind
3 tbs orange juice
1 tbs mirin or slightly sweet white wine (Riesling?)
1 tbs cilantro
1 tea minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 tea rice vinegar
1 1/2 tea dark sesame oil (I used grape seed oil because it's what I had.  walnut oil might not be bad either)
1 tea tamari
1/4 tea salt.

Note: My personal favorite of the dressings is the alternate one. I also just rounded up on the veggies because I don't like having half a pepper left or whatever. You can always make more dressing, if you need to.

Apricot Macaroons

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (14 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup soft dried apricots, coarsely chopped (3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, almond extract, and salt until frothy. Add coconut and apricots; mix to combine. Using your hands, shape mixture into mounds, each equal to 2 level tablespoons; place 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet (macaroons will not spread). Bake until lightly golden, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Transfer macaroons to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 1 week. Makes 16-20.

Goat Cheese Pear Tarts

2 pears
10 oz. goat cheese @ room temperature
1/2 tbsp sugar
dash of cinnamon
1 package puff pastry sheets (in the frozen foods aisle @ the grocery store)

1) preheat oven to 400.

2) roll out 1 puff pastry to a 20 x 20 inch square with a rolling pin,
and cut into 2 x 2 inch squares. grease your tins so the pastry does
not stick. press squares into tins and trim off the excess.

3) chop the pears finely with the skins on. (this adds a little color
to the tarts). stir pears, sugar & cinnamon up. you will probably have
a bit of the pear mixture leftover.

4) spoon and press down 1/2 tbsp of goat cheese onto the bottom of the
pastry and add 1 tbsp of pear mixture on top.

5) bake at 400 for 25 minutes. the edges should be golden brown.

6) take out of oven and let cool for 10 minutes. you will be able to
pop them out if you properly greased your tins.

Grandma Larsen's Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 cups oatmeal
1 pkg chopped dates (optional)

Cream shortening, sugars and eggs. Add flour, soda and salt. Stir in extracts, followed by remaining ingredients. Drop onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 7 dozen small.

Garlic Mayonnaise

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Stir everything together. Yum! Dip for veggies or shrimp.

Oatmeal Cake

Good as a snack or dessert. You can even get by doing it for breakfast, if you wanted.

1 cup of oatmeal (thick rolled or old fashioned) plus 1.5 cups boiling water. Mix and set aside.

Mix:
1/2 C oil (mild-flavored such as canola or walnut)
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C white sugar
2 eggs

Sift and add:
1.5 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 T cinnamon

Add the oat mixture last and mix. Bake at 350 (in a 9x13" pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray) for 30-35 min.

Optional frosting:
Take half a block of Neufchatel cheese with half a cup of whipping cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. Whip in a stand mixer until very light and fluffy. Frost cake and put in refrigerator to set.


Notes:
This is how the recipe was given to me. When I make it, because I know I can't stay out of it, I use half the oil and 1/2 cup of each of the sugars. I also toss in about 1/2 cup of flax meal. That's how I like it, but you may like it sweeter. I have not tried the frosting, but the cake really is fantastic. It would be perfect for a brunch.

Lefse

3 C potato flakes
1 T sugar
3 C skim milk
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup; do not use margarine)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan heat milk and butter until butter melts and milk is foamy (do not boil). Pour milk mixture over dry ingredients and blend well. Cover with a damp cloth resting on the potato mixture; then cover the bowl. Chill overnight or at least 8 hours.

Blend 1 1/2 cups of flour into the potatoes with a pastry or electric mixer (do not use your hands or the dough will become too warm). Keeping dough cold, roll an ice cream scoop sized bit into a ball. Flatten and dust with flour. Place on a well-floured, cloth covered surface and roll thin using a floured grooved rolling pin, flipping the dough a few times as you roll.

Heat the lefse grill to 500 degrees. Transfer the rolled dough to the grill with a lefse stick. Cook until browned (about 30 seconds); flip and cook the other side (about 15 seconds). Remove the cooked lefse and place between two pieces of cloth where it will continue to cook. Repeat with the remaining dough.

After the lefse is cool it may be kept in a breathable container or frozen for longer term storage. Older lefse may be refreshed by placing it in a microwave oven and heating on high for about 10 seconds.

Makes 15-25 pieces, depending on size.

NOTE: Potato Buds changed their recipe in 2010. Using the newer Potato Buds, adjust amount of potatoes to 2.25 cups.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Puree

1 large or 2 small butternut squash (4lbs)
20 cloves of garlic (1.5-2 heads)
4 T olive oil, divided
¼ C water
2 leeks, finely chopped
5 C stock (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped chives

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, seed and cut squash into 1” slices.

In a large roasting pan, combine squash, garlic and 2 T of the oil. Toss. Pour in the water. Roast, stirring occasionally until the garlic and squash are golden and soft, 50-60 min. Add more water if the squash begins to scorch.

While the squash and garlic are roasting, in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 T of oil. Add leeks and sauté until golden brown, 12-15 min. Set aside.

In a blender, in batches, combine roasted squash, garlic and lees with 1 cup of the stock. Puree until very smooth, about 1 min. Transfer pureed squash to a large saucepan. Stir in remaining 4 cups of stock and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with chives.

4-6 servings


[based on 4 servings]

Calories 386
Calories from Fat 134

Total Fat 14.9g (23%)
Saturated Fat 2.2g (11%)
Cholesterol 0mg (0%)
Sodium 985mg (41%)
Total Carbohydrates 65.3g (22%)
Dietary Fiber 10.2g (41%)
Sugars 12.8g
Protein 7.1g

Vit A 981% Vit C 177%
Calcium 29% Iron 25%
Nutrition Grade A