Memory Monday from April 2014... Ginger Raspberry cookies

Easiest. Dessert. Cookie. Ever.
Amaze your family and friends with your Culinary talents.

I discovered this at Trader Joe's, with the Demo-Diva's. So easy to make

1 container of Ginger Snaps
1 pint of fresh raspberries
1 container of Creme Fraiche

lay out some ginger snaps. Top with 1 teaspoon of Creme Fraiche. Top with a raspberry.
So Simple! So delicious.

Worlds Easiest Cookie Recipe (Re-Post from a few years back)

Perhaps the easiest christmas cookie I make. Those who where expecting Krum Kake or Rosettes- those might be coming as well. These are ridiculousy easy to make. Just follow the Easiest Peanut butter Cookie Recipe and add a Hershey's Kiss on top!

WORLDS EASIEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE
1 c. peanut butter, smooth or crunchy (I use a 16 oz. Jar of Adams "no stir" Crunchy and double the recipe)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar

Combine above ingredients. Roll into small balls, about 1 inch. Place on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper, Bake at 350 degrees until done (about 7-10 minutes). Top with a Hershey's Kiss while cookies are still warm. Let Cool on pan or place in a refrigerator for 10-15 minutes
UPDATE: Note there is no flour in this recipe. Not an omission on my part- just doesn't call for it! Try topping with a Miniature Reese's Peanut butter cup for something different.

Cooking at Work week- Chef's Salad with 1000 island dressing

Chef's salads are one of my weaknesses, but like so many foods (taco Salad, Reuben sandwiches) are not the same with anything but 1,000 Island dressing. That's the real recipe here- the dressing... you can make it out of condiment packages. We save all condiment packages at work so I can always have 1000 Island!

Chef’s Salad

2 oz. Cheddar cheese (cubed)

2 oz. Ham, (Cubed)

2 oz. White meat Chicken (cubed)

Lettuce and Cabbage, Chopped fine for salad

Shredded carrot, about ½ cup

Toss cheese, ham and chicken cubes with lettuce, cabbage and carrots. Dress. Eat. Enjoy!

Emergency 1000 Island Dressing

1 packet (or 1 teaspoon) of Sweet Pickle Relish

2 packets (or 2 teaspoons) of tomato catsup

3 packets ( or 1 Tablespoon) of mayonnaise

Mix all. Stir well.  

'Smore Quesidillas

A great quick dessert recipe. Instead of frying you can also cook on a BBQ grille or in a toaster oven.

'Smore Quesidillas

Two tortillas

2 Hershey bars

1 tblsp. Of peanut butter

About a cup of miniature marshmallows

About a table spoon of canola oil

Heat oil in a fry pan. Spread peanut butter on one tortilla. Place the marshmallows on the peanut butter, Break the chocolate bar into pieces and place on top of marshmallows. Top with other tortilla. Place in hot fry pan, for 30 seconds, flip and fry for another thirty seconds or until golden brown. OR put in a hot grille or toaster oven and watch for when the tortilla turns golden brown. Plate slice into four or six slices, pizza style, or two for you and a loved one or don’t slice if you are a greedy pig. I usually opt for the last choice.

Servings-4-6 (or 1 serving if you're a  greedy stingy, hungry pig)

Semi-Home Made Crackers

Ever watch Sandra Lee on the Food Network Show “Semi HomeMade”? Well, I must admit to watching time to time… Not for the “Tablescapes” or the Cocktail- (Sandra is a bit of a lush!) I do watch to see what semi Home made treats she is making up! Sandra is a similar kind of cook to me… anyway, I thought I would share how I made some Semi Home Made Crackers:

1 tube of Crescent Roll biscuit dough

1/3 cup of melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll biscuits. Instead of rolling them, spread them out on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with butter, then bake in 350 oven for 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy with cheese, baba ghanoush, hummus – whatever you desire

Crock of Stock

Well I got this meat order I ordered from Blue Valley. I ordered some knuckle bones for the knuckle heads (dogs). There were so many! So I thought about it for awhile and decided to make soup stock. Then I decided to try using the Crock Pot to do it. So I simply cut up an onion, some carrots, Roasted the bones at 350 for an hour then added them to the crock with the veggies, set it on High  (so it would simmer) and went to work. When I got home the stock was ready. I let it cool and froze half of it, and the other half put in the fridge. Now a nice stock for soup when fall weather hits! And Knuckle bones for the pooches!

Frozen Pea Salad

Easiest salad to put together ever! I use Ranch dressing to kick it up a notch. Great with or without bacon!

FROZEN PEA SALAD
2 c. frozen peas (uncooked)
1/2 c. green onions chopped
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Bacon bits or crisp bacon broken into pieces if desired (TVP "morningstar farms" soy bacon works good- I think the salad is fine without bacon)
1/2 c. ranch dressing or mayonnaise

Mix together with salad dressing or mayonnaise. Garnish with a rosemary sprig if desired. Serve

Cola Pot Roast in the Crock Pot

I love using the crock pot... Sometimes I make an entire meal out of it- other times I simply make an entree!
I made a pot roast the other night. With Coca cola! So easy to do, I imagine the sugars in the cola help break down the fat in the chuck roast. So set it and forget it!

Cola Pot Roast
2 Cans French onion soup
1 Bottle (20oz) of Cola (not diet)
1 4-7 lb Chuck Roast

Start by opening 1 can of French onion soup, pour it into the bottom of your crock pot. Place the chuck roast on top of the soup, Dump the second can of soup over the Chuck Roast, Pour the Cola over all. Set you crock pot to high, until it heats up, then set to low, let cook for 5-6 hours. The soup/ cola mix makes and excellent sauce/gravy. Seriously!

Easy ways to try "heat retention" cooking

Well I know Chile has done it. So has Fleecenik farms. Do what? Heat retention cooking A.K.A. Hay Box cooking. This is an great an easy way to cook dishes like Quinoa or pasta or rice. Here are some easy ways to try heat retention cooking.

1- Cooler Cooking-

Via my frugal friends, the two frugal chicks a week or so ago posted how to cook cooler corn, Simply take a clean cooler, place your ears of corn in it, pour boiling water over it and close the lid for 30 minutes. I tried it with a couple of ears of corn and a smaller cooler... and it worked!

2- Thermos Cooking-

I have also tried Thermos pasta (just put your serving of pasta in a coffee thermos and pour in hot water to the top and in 10 minutes you should have perfectly cooked pasta.

Heat Retention Cooking:

Thermos cooking:

Note: you can find stainless steel thermos at thrift stores and garage sales for cheap!

BLT... The Salad

Ever wonder what to do about cherry tomatoes? Well this is the first year I can remember tomatoes being so late to ripen, and so many... Anyway I picked about 3 pounds of Cherry tomatoes and thought Now what? I started to think and came up with this ridiculously easy salad for supper.

BLT Salad
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

1 cup of lettuce, shredded

2 TBLSP. of mayonaisse

4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese

1 SLice of toast, cut into small cubes

Place cherry tomatoes, lettuceand 3/4 of the bacon in a medium bowl, gently toss, add mayonnaise, cheese, toss again until well mixed. Top with toast cubes and the remainder of bacon.

Call Me Martha!

I don't mean to go all Martha Stewart on y'all, but just thought I would point out some ideas to use leftover and scrapped food items I have picked up over the years- So relax, we are not going to forge our own frying pans! And I am sure folks out there have their own little ideas so feel free to comment and share!

• You can polish leather shoes with bananas. Really! Rub the inner rind on the entire leather portion, making sure to avoid any laces, and wipe clean with a soft piece of cloth. Bonus green tip: reuse an old t-shirt or other used clothing item that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
• Add some zest to your stove cleaning (literally). Sprinkle some salt on the inside of halved, just-pressed orange or lemon peels and go to town on stubborn stove-top messes.
• Orange, lemon and grapefruit rinds can be added to preserved fruits and jams to add a little zest. Did you know that you can also pickle citrus rinds? They make a tangy snack, and require just a few ingredients.
• Citrus rinds, herb stems and peels add unique flavors to any clear alcohol. Add lime rinds to tequila blanco (white), or mint leaf stems to light rum for an extra-refreshing mojito. Let the flavors mingle in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks, and you’re ready to drink! For an instant, non-alcoholic treat, add cucumber and lemon peels to fresh filtered water for a subtle, cooling refreshment.
• Add orange, grapefruit, or lemon peels to a hot bath before submerging yourself. They add an energizing scent, and lemons are know to lighten age spots and freckles.
• It’s never too late to start making your own soup stock. Add vegetable peels like carrot, celery and potato to the simmering broth to add some extra flavor.
• Save your potato peelings from baked potatos to make potato skins!
• Make "Ribbollita" a soup that uses up your leftover vegetables and stale bread!
• Make "Croutons" out of stale bread!
• Make Bread Pudding out of stale breads... I have made them out of biscuits, croissants and donuts!
• Don't forget... good old Composting!
  
  

I should be on Chopped...

Chopped. that Food Network show were professional chefs are given a basket with 4 ingredients and their task is to come up with something good edible in very little time. Of course if I was on it I would be disqualified for calling host Ted Allen a douche bag. And probably at least two of the judges.
Anyway, in the used food store (Grocery Outlet) I discovered a half dozen glazed donuts for $1. So I went out to improve my Bread Pudding recipe. So after much thought, I present you with Donut Bread Pudding. It was either that or use them as hamburger buns for a Donut Bacon Cheese burger. And that is too much even for me!

Donut Bread Pudding
1/2 Dozen glazed donuts, crumbled
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk or skim milk
1/2 cup light brown Sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tbsps. butter
In a Medium bowl, Beat eggs lightly. Add milk, crumbled donuts, brown sugar raisins and cinnamon and mix thoroughly, and pour into a 1 quart baking dish. Dot with butter and bake 40-45 minutes until firm and brown at 350 degrees. Top with a dollop of Whipped Cream if desired. Serves 6.

Veggie Kabobs

A quick, easy and tasty way to eat your veggies- grill in minutes,
VEGGIE KABOBS
Assorted vegetables, cut bite size (I like to use mushrooms, tomatoes squash and onion good dish for cherry tomatoes)
Skewers
Marinade*
Let vegetables marinate in a shallow dish between 30 minutes to an hour. Then piece by piece, shove them on skewers- (You may want to soak skewers in a shallow bowl or pan in some water- helps keep them from burning)Place them on a hot grill or BBQ- cook for about two minutes and turn over. Should have nice grill marks. Serve and enjoy!
Tip- brush the grill with a light brush of Olive oil before grilling- adds good flavor and helps to keep veggies from sticking to the grill.

*Asian Vegetable Marinade
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil

mix the marinade up and let your vegetables marinate in a shallow dish from between 30 minutes to an hour before grilling.

Make your french toast healthier

I found a surprising way on Yahoo! Green to make french toast that is quite clever and tasty. By replacing whole milk and whole eggs with low-fat yogurt and egg whites, you remove much of the fat and swap in a little extra life. Hurray.

6 ounces low-fat yogurt (plain, or any flavor)
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
6 slices day-old multigrain bread (or 12 slices if you are using a skinnier baguette)
3 teaspoons olive oil
Fresh fruit (optional)
Mint for garnish (optional)

1. If yogurt has chunks of fruit in it, blend with water in a blender.

2. In a pie pan or other shallow pan, whisk together yogurt, water, and egg whites; dip bread on both side in the yogurt mixture.

3. Heat a small frying pan to medium-high heat and spread 1/2 teaspoon of olive in the pan.

4. Cover and cook soaked bread in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes on both sides, or until lightly browned.

5. Continue with each bread slice, adding 1/2 teaspoon olive oil per slice.

6. To make a quick fresh fruit “compote,” toss together mixed berries or fruit of your choice with a small splash of maple syrup and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The fruit will soften slightly and begin to make a juicy syrup that is prefect with the french toast. Garnish with mint if you have a pinch on hand.

Easy Shrimp Po' Boys

I just love Shrimp Po' Boys, I would eat them daily if I could. Out here they are available at the Tin Room Bar- If only they were easier to make. Well now they are! I adapted one of Rachel Ray's Recipes for a simpler, "semi-Homemade" version of a Shrimp Po' Boy. The end result is it tastes great and is easier to make!

Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich
This is an easy take on the Shrimp Po' Boy. One of my favorite sandwiches.
What you need:
1 Package frozen breaded shrimp (optional)
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 head of lettuce shredded
2 Hoagy Rolls
1 tablespoon of Mustard
1 tablespoon mayonaisse
1 tablespoon of honey or agave nectar

The reason the breaded shrimp is optional is some prefer to do all that work themselves. There is a recipe for that here. Otherwise hush up about it and follow along...
Prepare the breaded shrimp per the instructions (I prefer Trader Joe's Breaded Shrimp simply because there are no tails; that and it cooks up nice in the oven, otherwise I use Gorton's Popcorn shrimp). Slice the tomato, shred the lettuce. Prepare the dressing- mix the Mustard, mayo and the honey/agave nectar. Now assemble the sandwich as follows- A layer of tomato, a layer of lettuce, a layer of shrimp, and dabble on the dressing. Eat and enjoy!

Homemade Nutella and PeaNutella

I love the idea of making my own nutella. I already occasionally make my own peanut butter. So when I found a recipe for making homemade nutella without all the processed sugar in the store bought stuff I had to try it and make a variation.
I found the recipe for Homemade Nutella on Elana's Pantry blog. So easy to do. Luckily, we here in the NW have some great resources for Hazelnuts. I got mine from my mom who bought them, at the Des Moines (WA) Farmers Market then she froze them. I think they are also available through the Eat Local store.
My own variation on this was to substitute peanuts and peanut oil for the hazel nuts and hazel nut oil and follow the rest of the recipe.It turned out alright tasting, just a bit more texture than I would have preferred.But that is easy to solve- a bit more moisture, a bit more grinding in the food processor! And home made Nutella is just the thing for Sunny Anderson's Fake Crepes!

Pottery Sale Finds

The new butter Dish, chip/veggie dip platter and a Scent Heart I picked up at this Winter's Pottery Sale

Just a pic of the booty I got at this winters Moshier Art Center Holiday Pottery Sale. We are so lucky to have a neat pottery center here in Burien, and they have great sales twice a year, as well as holding the "Empty Bowls" event every year. Even though I had to work today, I made time to get to this sale! I am so lucky to live in a city were art is important.

Hot Apple Chai-der

I know I know- this is supposed to be a cookie swap... but you gotta wash down those cookies with something...

Here is an easy to make drink to warm your insides.

2 cups of Apple Cider

Two to three Chai tea bags

Optional- whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream

Take the Cider and bring to a boil, and throw the teabags in and let them steep. Pour into mugs and serve. Optional- top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy

or do the harder version here

Cranberry In Phyllo

Easiest recipe ever... No cooking, no baking... Updated from last years recipe

What you need

1 pkg Athens Phyllo Shells (15 Shells)

1 cup of cream cheese, softned

1/4 cup of Cranberry Sauce or Relish (I used Relish)

I simply blend about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Cream Cheese (I use the food processor for this- but a mixing spoon works as well). Rechill.

Then I take my mini ice cream scoop and put a scoop of the dip in each phyllo shell. Rechill. Serve.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well for my first cookie recipe, I have to admit to being hornswaggled by advertising... an ad for Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix that had a recipe for making mint chocolate chip cookies using their Sugar Cookie Mix. I thought I could do this without the pre mix - Why not use my own sugar cookie recipe? Easy to work with, I love this recipe. I would imagine you could use your own standard sugar cookie recipe.
Sugar Cookie Recipe
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make them Mint Chocolate Chip:
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
6 to 8 drops green food color
2 pkgs of Mint and Dark chocolate chips
Or 1 Package of Creme De Menth chips and 1 package of Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add the mint extract and the food color- Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on cooling racks.