Toffee Ginger Shortbreads
I used my simple shortbread recipe and added toffee and crystallized ginger chips. These shortbread cookies came out amazingly delicious.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Pound Softened Butter
½ Cup Crystallized Ginger Chips
8 Ounces English Toffee Bits
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and butter. Mix thoroughly. Add the ginger chips and English toffee bits and mix. The dough should be in the shape of a ball. Press the dough into a medium size baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper don’t worry. You don’t need to grease the pan. Prick the surface with a fork making evenly distribute perforations. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 40 minutes until the shortbread is delicately brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and place onto a serving plate. Makes 32 shortbreads.
Note: I like to use Heath English Toffee bits.
Scalloped Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
6 Cups Sliced Potatoes With Skins
¼ Cup Diced Green Peppers
¼ Cup Diced Green Onions
¼ Cup Pimento
1 Pound Shredded Cheddar Cheese
20 Ounces Cream of Celery Soup
10 Ounces Chicken Broth
1 Cup Sour Cream
Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well. In a medium size skillet sauté the green peppers and onions. Mix in the sautéed green peppers and onion with the pimento and cheese in a medium size bowl. Mix the soup, broth and sour cream into the onion & cheese mixture. Arrange the potatoes in an oiled medium size baking dish. Pour the mixed ingredient over the potatoes and bake in a 350° F preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serves 8
Lamb Stew
You can vary this stew by changing vegetables and seasonings. Stews are a forgiving food. They are easy going and open to substitution. Stews are a great “make ahead” meal. If you have a busy schedule you can always prepare a stew a day or two in advance of serving. This finished product is always welcome. Be creative and use your favorite vegetables and seasonings.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cubed Lamb
8 Cups Water
1 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Cup Chopped Potatoes
1 Cup Chopped Green Peppers
1 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
1 Cup Chopped Zucchini
1 Cup Chopped Celery
4 Teaspoons Beef Bouillon Granules
1 Teaspoon Mint
1 Teaspoon Lemon Peel
1 Bay Leaf
4 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
Combine the lamb, water, vegetables, bouillon granules, herbs, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove the bay leaf and skim off the excess fat. Serve with sourdough bread and you have the best winter meal ever! Serves 4
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Why buy bottled barbecue sauce when it’s so easy to make your own?!
INGREDIENTS
2 Strips Chopped Bacon
3 Tablespoons Minced Green Bell Pepper
1 Minced Onion
1 Chopped Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
½ Cup Vinegar
½ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup Tomato Juice
½ Cup Water
Brown the bacon in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the green peppers, onions, garlic and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, chili powder, vinegar, brown sugar and tomato juice. Cook over a medium low heat for 40 minutes. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Chocolate Layer Cake
I love this cake. It’s my go to cake for special occasions and birthdays. Everyone seems to enjoy this cake and wants the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Cake
½ Cup Shortening
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 (1 Ounce Each) Squares Unsweetened Chocolate (Melted & Cooled)
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Buttermilk
Frosting
½ Cup Softened Butter
1 (3 Ounce) Package Softened Cream Cheese
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
2 Squares (1 Ounce Each) Unsweetened Chocolate (Melted & Cooled)
Preheat the oven to 325° F. To make the cake: cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the melted & cooled chocolate. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add alternately to the batter along with the buttermilk. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 40 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting: combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar slowly. Beat on low speed. Stir 2 tablespoons of milk and the melted & cooled chocolate. Beat until fluffy.
To assemble place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting. Place the second layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top layer. Serves 8
**If you do not have buttermilk just measure out 1 1/2 cups regular milk and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes.
Pumpkin & Berry Muffins
These muffins came out very moist! They are extra large and super good. I like to double the recipe and fill the muffin cups to the top edge for that bigger deli size muffin. You can add extra berries if you want.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
½ Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blackberries
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease the muffin cups or line them with muffin liners. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium size bowl. In a separate medium size bowl combine the oil, egg, buttermilk and pumpkin puree. Mix the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Next, fold in the blueberries and blackberries. Fill the muffin cups right to the top. Bake for 20 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and serve. Serves 8
Oven Baked Chicken
Parmesan cheese mixed with breadcrumbs creates a golden brown crunchy coating on this oven baked chicken. If you add herbs to the recipe it can change the way it tastes. For flavor variations try mixing ½ teaspoon dried herbs, such as rosemary or sate, into the melted butter mixture.
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Dried Breadcrumbs
¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Melted Butter
3 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Garlic
6 (4 Ounce) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper and salt in a shallow bowl. Set aside. Combine the butter and garlic in a pie pan. Dip 1 chicken breast at a time into the butter mixture. Place into the breadcrumb mixture. Turn to coat evenly. Place the chicken breasts into an ungreased medium sized baking pan. Drizzle with any of the remaining butter mixture. Bake for 30 minutes until chicken is lightly browned and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Serves 6
Sourdough Rolls
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Sourdough Starter
¼ Cup Melted Butter
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix well and make a hole in the center and pour in the starter. Knead the dough in the bowl for 3 minutes. Pinch off golf ball size pieces and shape them into biscuits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rolls on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 ½ hours. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven sand serve warm. Makes 12 rolls.
Pounded Pork
One of my all time favorite “go to” recipes!
INGREDIENTS
4 (1 Inch Thick) Center Cut Pork Chops
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
1 Cup Bread Crumbs (Lightly Toasted)
¼ Cup Plus 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Bunch Arugula
1 Diced Tomato
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Using a meat mallet, carefully pound the pork chops until they are ¼ inch thick. You can remove the bone if you want, but you don’t have to. Season the pork chops with the salt and pepper. Dip each pork chop into the beaten eggs. Allow the excess to drip off . Dredge each pork chop in the bread crumbs and set on a plate. In a large skillet heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over a medium heat until just smoking. Add the butter and allow it to foam for 15 seconds. Place the chops in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown on one side. The trick is to cook the chops slowly over an even medium heat so that they cook through without burning the bread crumb crust. Using tongs carefully turn the chops and cook on the other side for 5 more minutes until light golden brown. Add more oil if necessary (1/2 tablespoon at a time to avoid scorching the breading).
In a large bowl combine the arugula (remove the stems) and tomatoes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to coat the greens. Place one pork chop on each of the four warmed dinner plates. Divide the arugula salad evenly among the plates and serve immediately. Serves 4
Chicken Taco Salad
In a hurry? Don’t know what to make for dinner? Trying to cut down on calories? This Chicken Taco Salad recipe is so good and easy to make. Even the Salsa Dressing is low fat. What more could a gal want?!
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
4 Cups Shredded Romaine Lettuce
2 Cups Chopped Roasted Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
1/3 Cup Chopped Red Onion
15 Ounces Drained & Rinsed Red Beans
1 Chopped Red Bell Pepper
½ Cup Halved Black Olives
½ Cup Grated White Cheddar Cheese
For the dressing:
2/3 Cup Light Sour Cream
2 Cups Salsa
1 Teaspoon Cumin
5 Teaspoons Fresh Lime Juice
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
To prepare the salad: Roast the chicken breasts in advance (salt & pepper, roast for 45 minutes on 350°F). Let cool a bit before removing the skin and bones. You can use skinless & boneless chicken breasts, but honestly I think that they can be tasteless and dry. Chop the chicken breasts and set aside. Combine the lettuce and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, including the chicken. Toss gently and serve with the salsa dressing. Serves 4
Salsa Dressing: Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and combine well. Pour into a bowl or a medium size pitcher and place into the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.
