-- RECENT RECIPE POSTS --

NEW for DECEMBER & JANUARY:

Main Courses:

Penne with Two Tomatoes and Mozzarella [+ pictures] by Kellie Barlow

Poppyseed Chicken by Cathryn Daniels

Chicken Broccoli Casserole by Kellie Barlow

Greek-Style Mini Lamb Burgers by Kellie Barlow

Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto by Kellie Barlow

Soups & Salads

East African Peanut Soup by Caitlin Duncan

Minestrone Soup by Cathryn Daniels

Thai-style Steak (Salad) by Kellie Barlow

Side Dishes:

Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes by Kellie Barlow

Appetizers:
[your recipe here!]

Beverages:
[your recipe here!]

Desserts:
White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars [+ pictures] by Crepes of Wrath

Cherry Winks [+ pictures] by Meredith Boyle

Molasses Cookies by Cathryn Daniels

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

from The Crepes of Wrath -- see link for pictures of each step!

2 cups all-purpose flour (reserve 2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (reserve 2 tablespoons)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup white chocolate chips (optional, but highly recommended)

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted (for drizzling)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil, then spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Add the flour in a medium bowl. Reserve 2 TABLESPOONS OF FLOUR and place in separate bowl to reserve for then topping. In the non-reserved flour, add in the ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

3. In large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and 6 TABLESPOONS of granulated sugar. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating just to combine after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and molasses (if it looks strange, it’s okay, don’t worry!). Add in the flour and spices mixture and gradually combine. Stir in white chocolate chips by hand, if you’re using them.

4. Press the batter into your prepared pan. I used clean hands because the batter is pretty thick. Sprinkle the top with reserved flour, then sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over that (I used 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar).

5. Place into oven and bake until bars are golden brown and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and place pan on wire wrack to cool completely before cutting. When the bars are mostly cooled, melt the 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips and drizzle over the bars either with a spoon or a plastic bag with the tip cut off. When the bars have cooled completely, cut into bars and enjoy!

Cherry Winks

MEREDITH BOYLE

2 1/4 Cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 cup finely crushed frosted corn flakes
Vanilla and/or almond extract to taste
A little bit of the cherry syrup (optional)

2 1/2 cups of crushed frosted flakes for rolling

maraschino cherries

Variation: You can put cherry candy kisses on each cookie instead of cherries but you need to do it AFTER cooking but before cooled all the way.

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs then milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients Mix well. Shape into small balls and roll in frosted flakes. Slightly flatten and place on greased cookie sheet. Top each cookie with a cherry (pushing the cherry down a little). Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Shape the dough into balls.

Rolling dough balls in crushed frosted flakes.

Slightly press down corn flake balls, using your thumb to place the cherry.

Place the cherry in the center, pressing it into the dough securely. Now bake!

Poppyseed Chicken

CATHRYN DANIELS

4-5 chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 16oz container of sour cream

1 sleeve Ritz or Towne House crackers

¼ c. butter

2-3 T poppy seeds

Rice or potatoes

Cook chicken and shred it or cut it up into bite-size pieces. Put into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Mix together sour cream and soup. Pour over chicken. Crush the crackers and mix them with the butter (melted) and poppy seeds. Sprinkle over soup mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve over cooked rice or baked potatoes.

Minestrone Soup

CATHRYN DANIELS

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 cups chopped celery

5 carrots, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

4 cups tomato sauce

1/2 cup red wine (optional)

1 cup canned kidney beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can green beans or frozen works, too

2 cups baby spinach, rinsed

3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup seashell pasta

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Add celery and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes more.

2. Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, basil, oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

3. Fill a medium sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta as directed until al dente.

4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is ready place 2 Tbsp. cooked pasta into individual bowls and ladle soup on top of it. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

Molasses Cookies

CATHRYN DANIELS

1 1/2 cups butter (not margarine)

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons group ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Form the dough into small balls and roll the balls in white sugar before you put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes

Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes

KELLIE BARLOW

2 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
2 Bartlett pears

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Scrub the sweet potatoes. Quarter lenthwise; slice diagonally 1 1/2 inches thick. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard, ginger, and cayenne; season with coarse salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 20-25 minutes.
2. Core and quarter the pears; halve crosswise. Add to the potatoes; toss all with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Continue roasting until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes more.

from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book.