BANANA BREAD WAFFLES

1 3/4 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg
3 Eggs
2 sticks Butter, melted
1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
1/2 tbsp Vanilla
3 Ripe Bananas, chopped
1/2 cup Pecans, toasted and chopped

In a large bowl whisk first 7 ingredients together.
In a small bowl mix eggs, butter, buttermilk and vanilla. Add in bananas

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir..but don't over stir. It is good to have lumps. Fold in the pecans.

Cook according to your waffle iron directions.
Top with sliced bananas and chopped pecans if desired!

Cilantro Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chickens
1/3 cup lime juice plus 1 teaspoon lime zest
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chopped jalapeno or serrano pepper, optional
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, salt and pepper and honey. Set aside two tablespoons of mixture. Pour remaining mixture into zip top bag. Add chicken and cilantro and squish bag to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Grill (or broil) chicken over medium high heat, about four minutes per side. Let rest for five minutes. Drizzle with reserved marinade and serve.

Honey and Soy Broccoli and Mushrooms

1 teaspoon oil
4 ounces sliced mushrooms (Use whatever you can get on sale)
2 cups chopped broccoli florettes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
pinch of red pepper flakes

In a small skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add broccoli and stir fry for 3 minutes, or until tender crisp. Stir in soy, honey and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute more.

Orange Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken pieces, cut into 2 inch chunks
1 egg
about 1/4 cup oil (for light frying), plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup cornstarch PLUS 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 dash crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup orange juice, plus zest of one orange
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons vinegar (I use rice, white, or even cider)
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions:Place chicken pieces in bowl. Stir in egg, and about 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper , and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir 1/2 cup cornstarch and flour together. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.

Heat oil for frying in wok or large skillet. Add chicken pieces, small batch at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp. (Do not overcook or chicken will be tough.) Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Clean wok with paper towel and heat 15 seconds over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add and stir-fry crushed chilies and green onions. Add soy sauce, orange juice and zest, sugar, and vinegar to the wok; bring to a boil.

Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed. Stir about 1/4 cup water into remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth. Add to chicken and heat until sauce is thickened. Stir in 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve at once.

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Steaks

This is from the Aug/Sept. 2005 Cooking Pleasures magazine:
Marinade:
1/2 C. chopped cilantro
1/2 C. lime juice
1/4 C. olive oil
1 Tbs. grated lime peel
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 tsp. kosher (coarse) salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Steak:4 (6 oz.) boneless beef chuck-eye steaks (1-inch thick)

Cilantro Spread:
1 C. chopped cilantro
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 garlic clove
1 tsp. finely chopped seeded jalapeno chile
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1. Place all marinade ingredients in blender; blend until smooth. Place steaks in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag; pour in marinade. Seal bag; turn to coat steaks. Refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

2. When ready to grill, place all cilantro spread ingredients in food processor or blender; pulse until paste forms. Place in small bowl.

3. Heat grill. Remove steaks from marinade; discare marinade. Pat steaks dry. Place on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Grill 10 to 14 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Place on platter, cover loosely with foil. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread steaks with cilantro mixture.

Peach Refresher Smoothie

Peach Refresher Smoothie
2 cups Apple Juice
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
1/2 banana
1 cup peach yogurt
1 1/2 cups frozen peach slices

Pour all liquid ingredients into blender. Add frozen ingredients. Blend at low speed for30 seconds then blend high speed until smooth. You may need to stir the ingredients around, then blend more. Serve immediately. Makes 3-5 servings

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1 cup apple juice
1 cup milk
1 frozen banana
1 1/2 cups strawberry yogurt

Pour all liquid ingredients into blender. Add frozen ingredients. Blend at low speed for30 seconds then blend high speed until smooth. You may need to stir the ingredients around, then blend more. Serve immediately. Makes 3-5 servings

Berry Blast Smoothie

1 cup apple juice
1 1/2 cup lemonade
1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup raspberry sherbet

Pour all liquid ingredients into blender. Add frozen ingredients. Blend at low speed for30 seconds then blend high speed until smooth. You may need to stir the ingredients around, then blend more. Serve immediately. Makes 3-5 servings

Onion Roasted Potatoes

Onion Roasted Potatoes
2 Lbs. Potatoes
1 (1 oz.) Package Dry Onion Soup Mix
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil(shredded cheese for the non-weight watcher version)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes, then cut into chunks. Place the potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the olive oil on top of the potatoes and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle the onion soup mix on top and stir to coat the potatoes. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. If they start to get too brown before they're tender, you can lay a piece of foil across the top of the dish. (Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese for the non-weight watcher version)

TERIYAKI SIRLOIN STEAK or PORK CHOPS

TERIYAKI SIRLOIN STEAK or PORK CHOPS
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1- 1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak
or 6 Pork Chops

In a big zip loc bag, combine first 6 ingredients; add steak/pork chops. Seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Grill until meat it done to your liking. Baste with marinade while cooking and then throw away what you don't use.

CHICKEN LO MEIN

CHICKEN LO MEIN
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry or chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup hot water
6 ounces uncooked linguine
1/2 pound medium fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 pound fresh snow peas
1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 teaspoons sesame oil

In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, ginger, soy sauce and sherry or broth until smooth. Add chicken and stir to coat; set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon granules in hot water; set aside.Cook linguine according to package directions. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry mushrooms, snow peas, red pepper and green onions in 1 tablespoon canola oil for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same skillet, stir-fry chicken mixture in remaining canola oil for 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in dissolved bouillon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Return vegetables to skillet.

Drain linguine; add sesame oil and linguine to skillet. Toss to coat. Cook 1-2 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

BBQ Chicken

Oh man, I wish I had a grill.

Quick and Easy Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. smoked paprika (I used regular)
2 tsp. hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. coarse freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 c. water

Old-Fashioned BBQ Chicken Legs
1 recipe Quick and Easy BBQ sauce (you can use regular or smoked paprika, whatever you prefer or have on hand)
2-3 pounds chicken legs, rinsed well and patted dry (I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs). It's important to rinse them, especially if you're buying the non-frozen variety, because dark meat takes on a strong semi-fishy odor and taste when it sits in its own juices.

Now...don't be fooled by the simplicity. Quite literally, the secret is in the sauce here--you're not going to get the same results from a bottle of Kraft BBQ sauce. Something magical happens to this sauce and the dark chicken meat on the grill and it seriously tastes like something that came from a true-blue Southern BBQ restaurant.

Reserve 1 c. of sauce and marinate chicken in the remaining sauce for 8 hours or overnight. Grill over medium heat, basting with some of the reserved sauce, until it starts to blacken and internal temperature reaches 170 (about 10 minutes per side for boneless skinless thighs, give or take a little depending on their size...)Remove from heat, drizzle with remaining sauce, and cover with a loose tent of aluminum foil for about 5-10 minutes so the chicken remains juicy.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

15 oz can pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour (+ 1/4 cup for high altitude)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Add eggs and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to the pumpkin mixture, beating until well blended. Pour into a greased 10x15 jelly roll pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.


Cool cake completely and then frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
5 tablespoons butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk


Beat the butter and cream cheese together. Add the vanilla and blend till smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well. Add the milk a little bit at a time until you get it to a nice spreadable consistency. Spread on cooled cake.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar1 egg
1 - 15 oz can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour (+ 2 tablespoons for high altitude)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a mixer combine oil, sugar and egg. Beat together till combined. Mix in pumpkin and vanilla. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. Yields 4 dozen smallish cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
2 1/2 cups flour (plus 2 tablespoons for high altitude)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
6 tablespoon butter melted
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 paper muffin cups. Combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt in the bowl. Beat pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, eggs and butter in a medium bowl until well blended. Add pumpkin mixture and chocolate chips to the flour mixture in the mixer. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds or just until moistened.

Spoon evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 15 - 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Winter Spinach Salad

Winter Spinach Salad

1 bunch baby spinach
1/2 C dried cherries or craisins
3 green onions, sliced
1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 C seedless red grapes, cut in half
1/4 C sugared pecans
1/2 C crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Combine spinach, cherries, green onions, apple slices, grapes and pecans. Add dressing and toss. Garnish with Gorgonzola cheese.

Maple Syrup Dressing
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C cider vinegar
2 Tbsp shallots minced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until evenly combined.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening (butter flavored is better)
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups quick oats
1 3/4 cup flour (plus 1/4 cup for high altitude)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
16 oz bag chocolate chips (or about 2 cups)

Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet mixture and combine and fold in chocolate chips by hand.


Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake at 375 for 9 to 10 minutes.

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips

Crispy Parmesan Chicken Strips


1 1/2 cups seasoned croutons, crushed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon water

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into fairly thin strips (I would probably say I cut them to less than an inch in width)

your favorite dipping sauces (we do ketchup, ranch dressing, honey mustard, and barbecue sauce)


Preheat oven to 450. In a bowl combine crouton crumbs, Parmesan, parsley and garlic salt. In another bowl beat egg whites with water. Dip each chicken strip in egg mixture and then dredge in the crumb mixture, you kind of need to press the crumbs into the chicken to make them stick.


Bake on a cookie sheet for 16 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with dipping sauces.

Favorite Zucchini Bread

Favorite Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
2 cups white sugar
3 cups finely grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour (plus 1/4 cup for high altitude)
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.In a large bowl beat the eggs with a whisk until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Divide batter into the prepared pans evenly.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cowboy Spaghetti

Cowboy Spaghetti

1 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
ground black pepper
salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1-14 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1-16 oz can tomato sauce
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon chili powder
8 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
4 green onions, sliced

Heat oil in a deep skillet. Add bacon and saute till browned. Turn off heat and spoon out excess fat leaving enough to coat the bottom of skillet. Add beef, onion, and garlic and cook till meat s browned, breaking up meat as it cooks. Season meat with salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire and 1/2 cup beef stock and let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, cayenne (optional), and chili powder. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle individual servings with cheese and green onions.

Freezer Meal Option: Make the sauce, let cool then place in a gallon ziploc bag to reheat and serve over spaghetti later.

Monster Cookies

Monster Cookies

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 tablespoon corn syrup

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2 cups oats

1 bag chocolate chips (or a mixture of chips)

In a mixer beat sugars, shortening, eggs, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Add oats and baking soda and mix. Add vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes on cookie sheets and then transfer to racks to cool.

Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls

Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 cups Bisquick mix

2 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 375. Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish. Stir together 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.Stir Bisquick, milk, and 2 tablespoons sugar until dough forms. If dough is too sticky, gradually mix in enough Bisquick (up to 1/4 cup) to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough onto surface well dusted with Bisquick; gently roll dough in Bisquick to coat.Shape dough into a ball; knead 10 times.

Roll into a rectangle, 15x9 inches; spread with butter. Sprinkle evenly with sugar mixture. Roll up tightly, beginning at the 15 inch side. Seal well by pinching edge of dough into roll. Cut into 12 equal pieces (I slice off the uneven ends and then cut into pieces). Place in baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Spread icing over warm rolls.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

A little bit time consuming but very tasty. Double the batch and freeze for later.

Chicken:3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil


Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch then in egg. Fry chicken chunks in hot oil until browned but not cooked through. Place browned chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees turning chicken every 15 minutes.

*If you'd like extra sauce, mix together another batch of sauce ingredients while chicken is cooking and cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced, about 6-8 minutes.

Ham and Corn Chowder

3 tablespoons butter
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine (about 1/2 an onion)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
2 cups cubed ham
1/4 cup cooked,crumbled bacon (plus more for topping)
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1- 15.25 oz can corn, undrained
1- 15.25 oz can creamed corn
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cook cubed potatoes in boiling water till done. Drain and set aside.Melt butter in a pot. Add celery, onion, and jalapeno and saute until tender. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually add cream and milk. Bring to a boil; cook stirring for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. If mixture is too thick add a little more milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve with a little crumbled bacon on top of individual servings if desired.

Cream Cheese Pecan Frosting

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Then add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat at low speed, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Fold in chopped pecans. Use immediately.

Classic Sugar Cookie Frosting

Classic Sugar Cookie Frosting:

6 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar (may need a bit more)
food coloring


Beat butter until creamy. Add vanilla and mix in. Gradually add the powdered sugar until frosting is smooth and creamy. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix till frosting is evenly colored.

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting:

1 lb box powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter, softened
food coloring


Beat with an electric mixer 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. For a thinner consistency add more milk or cream a little at a time. Mix in food coloring till frosting is evenly colored.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 - 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
powdered sugar (enough for desired thickness)
food coloring


Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add milk and vanilla and powdered sugar a little at a time till frosting reaches desired consistency. Add food coloring and mix until frosting is evenly colored.

Soft Sugar Cookies

I am a fan of soft cookies, unless it is an oreo.


1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
2 3/4 cups flour (+ 1/4 cup for high altitude)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until creamy. Mix in sour cream. In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet mixture and blend well.

Roll out dough on floured surface (the thicker the cookie, the softer it is) and cut with cookie cutter. Place cookies on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes (don't let them brown).


Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Let cool completely before frosting. Makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on how big your cookie cutter is.

Cut Out Sugar Cookie and Icing Tips

Cut Out Sugar Cookie and Icing Tips
TIPS BY http://www.thehungryhousewife.blogspot.com/

DOUGH TIPS
1) Remember "sugar cookies" and "Cut out sugar cookies" are two totally different animals.If you try to make your standard soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe and roll it out and use cookie cutters, you will get a big blob of nothing. You have to go with a more sturdy "cut out recipe"

.2) Once my dough is mixed I divide it into 2 portions I roll it out in between 2 pieces of parchment paper(it is a sticky dough). I roll them to 3/8". Having some of those spacers that you slip on to the ends of your rolling pin ensure your cookies are all even in thickness. Also, want to know the best rolling pin available on the market? A piece of PVC pipe!Its cheap and you can cut it to whatever size you want it. I had my hubby cut mine to 2 feet so I could roll large pieces of fondant.

3) You dough MUST, I repeat MUST be cold. Especially before baking. After you roll your dough to 3/8". Put it in the fridge for 2 hours in the parchmentpaper to rest and chill.

4) Cut your dough...Use your cookie cutters and cut out your desired shape. Remove the excess dough and re roll to 3/8" between parchment paper and put back in the fridge until well chilled again. You also must put your cut out shapes back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before baking.

5) Never EVER EVER use a hot or warm cookie sheet. It will start to melt the cookie dough before it ever reaches the oven.

6) Un greased cookie sheet! Do not use cooking spray, butter, parchment paper or a silicone mat.These items may cause your cookie to spread a bit and we want the least amount of spread.

7) Keep an eye on your cookies. For the thickness of 3/8", mine baked for 12 minutes.You do not want the edges to brown. You want that nice uniform pale color all the way around.

8) Keep on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

9) The cookies must be completely cool before you begin icing.

ICING TIPS
The below recipe allows you to make one icing thickness and use it from start to finish in the decorating process.

1) Sugar cookie icing is not a lick the bowl type of icing. It is very sweet and really only tastes good when paired with the cookie.

2) Make sure the bowl you use for mixing your icing is free on oil and grease.

3) The best tip size in my opinion for the bottom smooth icing is a #4 round.

4)I tint the icing with paste food coloring. If you use the liquid food coloring it thins out the icing too much. And the paste makes the colors more vibrant without having to use a whole bottle of the liquid stuff.

5) Color the icing a tad bit darker than you would like the finished color. It dries a bit lighter.

6) Fill your icing bag by placing your bag in a cup with a wet paper towel in the bottom. Also use this cup to hold your icing bag when you are not using it. The wet paper towel keeps the icing from leaking all over the place and the tip from clogging.

7) Using your #4 tip, outline the cookie 1/4" in from the edge of the cookie. Then immediately fill in your cookie using the same tip. Please note the filling in of the cookie does not have to piped on perfectly. If there are any missed spots, take a tooth pick and smear the icing into the missed spots. Carefully lift your cookie and shake it from side to side to help the icing level itself out. It might not look completely smooth. But it will smooth out as it drys.

8) If there are any air bubbles in your icing, pop them with a pin and gently shake your cookie from side to side to even it out again.

9) Let your iced cookies dry for about 4 hours before you do any of your design work. If you do it while the bottom icing is wet, the colors will bleed.

10) For making my decorations on the cookie, I use a #1 or a #2 tip.

11) Shaky hand? Try resting your elbows on the table while piping or even try holding your breath.

12) After all of your decorating is complete, it is very important that your icing COMPLETELY dries. I usually dry my cookies for about 12-16 hours. Just dry them on the cooling racks out in the open.

13) Once dry, you can wrap them individually or stack them on top of one another with parchment/wax paper between the cookies.

14) If kept airtight they last quite some time. The longest they have been kept around in my house is 7 days. But some people say they can last a month.

ROYAL ICING COOKIE GLAZE
by antonia74
6 oz(3/4 cup) warm water
5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
2 1/4 pounds powdered sugar

*If your meringue powder does not have any vanilla flavor in it, you can add a teaspoon of CLEAR vanilla.

In a mixer bowl, pour the warm water and the meringue powder in and whisk for about 30 seconds until frothy.
Add the cream of tarter and whisk for another 30 seconds.
Pour all of the sugar in at once and place on the mixer.
Using your paddle attachment, on the lowest speed, mix slowly for 10 full minutes.
Icing will be thick and creamy.(like Elmers Glue)
Cover the bowl the a damp cloth to prevent drying and crusting.
If you find the icing too thick, you can thin it by adding in water by the Tablespoon.

Confetti Fried Rice

1 1/2 - 2 cups uncooked rice (depending on appetites you can add more rice to stretch this dish)
5 scrambled eggs
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup diced red pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
3/4 - 1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup diced ham
4 tablespoons soy sauce (this is to taste)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, it gives it a slightly smoky flavor and yellow color)
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cook the rice using the instructions on the package - usually 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Set aside. Scramble the eggs, breaking into small pieces and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and canola oil in a large skillet. Add bacon, red pepper, mushrooms and green onions and saute till tender. Add diced ham, scrambled eggs, and rice. Mix well and heat through. Add soy sauce a little at a time till to taste. Add onion powder and turmeric and mix well. Add frozen peas and mix. Then sprinkle rice with melted butter and mix well. Check for seasoning adding more soy sauce if necessary. Serve with a sprinkling of sliced green onions on top of individual servings.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup butter (that 1 stick + 2 2/3 tablespoons), softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt; mix flour mixture into wet mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a half hour. Drop by teaspoonfuls or tablespoonfuls (depending on how big you want the cookies to be) onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 8 - 10 minutes - just until very lightly browned, you don't want to over bake them. Cool for a few minutes on cookie sheets until cookies are moveable, then transfer to cooling racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Au Gratin Broccoli and Cauliflower

16 oz fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together mayo, cheeses, green onions, garlic, mustard, and cayenne; set aside. In a pot filled with about 2 inches of boiling water steam broccoli and cauliflower for 7 minutes. Drain well. Arrange broccoli and cauliflower in a baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture over florets. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and paprika. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled Corn Salad

5 ears corn on the cob, shucked
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded & diced
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 C chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 C light mayonnaise
1/2 C seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbs granulated white sugar
3 medium limes, zest and juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Grill the corn, dry, no oil. Cut the kernels off of the corn after grilling and place them in a large bowl. Add the bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeno.
2. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, lime zest and juice. Whisk to combine the dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables (you may wish to dress the salad lightly and not use all of the dressing, so add a little and then assess if it needs more) and toss gently.
Servings: 8

No Guilt Chocolate Cake

No Guilt Chocolate Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix

1- 15 oz can pumpkin

1 cup water

In the mixing bowl combine ingredients and beat for 2 minutes. Spread batter into a non-stick sprayed 9x13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely and top with lite Cool Whip, whipped cream, a sprinkling of powdered sugar or nothing at all. Mmmm...

Taco Soup - Can be a Freezer Meal too!

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 can beans - pinto, red, or kidney, drained and rinsed
1 can chili beans (or a can of chili if you don't have chili beans on hand)
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water (can add extra water if you want the soup to be thinner)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can corn, undrained


Brown hamburger in a pot with chopped onion. Add beans, chili beans, tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and corn. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, and tortilla chips.


Freezer Meal Instructions:Brown hamburger in a skillet with chopped onion, drain and allow to cool. In a bowl combine beans, chili beans, tomato sauce, water, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with juices, and corn with juices. Add cooled hamburger and pour into a gallon size ziplock. Label with cooking instructions and freeze flat.

Cooking Instructions:Thaw. Pour into a pot and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. If desired thin with a little water or V8 juice. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, olives, and/or tortilla chips.

Crockpot (Kind of) 15 Bean Soup

20 oz package Hurst's 15 Bean Soup mix (with flavor packet)
2 quarts water
1 lb smoked sausage, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon chili powder
juice of one lemon (about 4 teaspoons if using bottled lemon juice)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Night before:Place beans in a pot and cover with water so that water is at least 2 inches over beans. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours.

Day of: Drain water out of bean and rinse them. Add beans back to pot with 2 quarts of water and sausage. Bring to a boil and simmer uncover for 1 1/2 hours.

Pour into a crockpot and add onions, tomatoes, chili powder, lemon juice and garlic. Cover and set to high, cook for about 6 hours. Add flavor packet from the package of beans and set to low for another half hour or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Easy Cheesy Rolls

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 tube Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits (the big flaky ones)

In a bowl combine butter, parmesan, basil, and garlic powder. Mix shredded cheeses in a separate bowl. Remove biscuits from can and separate into individual biscuits. Flatten each biscuit with a rolling pin. Put some cheese into the center of each biscuit and fold dough around cheese pinching as you go to form a ball. Roll each ball of dough in the melted butter mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Makes 8 rolls.