Some Recipes from Todays COOKIE EXCHANGE

ORANGE BLOSSOMS:

Yields:27 cookies       Preheat Oven: 400       Bake Time: 10 minutes

DOUGH:
11 TBSP unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 TBSP grated orange rind (zest)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp Fiori di Sicilia (optional - the one we tasted today did not have this)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP grated orange rind (zest)
3 TBSP orange juice

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease (or line with parchemnt) two baking sheets.
To make dough: In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter sugar, until light. Beat in the egg, then the orange juice and zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and Fiori di Sicilia. Stir in the flour.
Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they're just begining to brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to rack to cool.
To make the icing: In a medium sized bowl, cream together the confectioners' sugar, butter, and orange zest, then stir in the orange juice, adding additional juice, if necessary, to make a spreadable icing. Ice the cooled cookies and place them on the rack until set.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER LOLLIPOP

1/2 cup butter completely softened
4 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
12oz. semi-sweet chocolate
12oz. milk chocolate
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Combine the butter, powdered sugar, and peanut butter in the bowl of an elecrtric mixer fitted with a paddle. Mix on low speed until well combined. Mix in the Rice Krispies.

Using your hands, form into  1oz. balls (the size of a walnut), insert a lollipop stick and refridgerate until firm (about 1 hour). Combine the chocolates in a stainless steel bowl. Set the bowl over  a small pot of simmering water and melt, stirring occasionally until smooth. Stir in vegetable oil. Spread the chopped peanuts on a plate.

Dip the lillipops one at a time into the mented chocolate to coat then let the excess drip off a bit. Set the lillipop down in the peanuts. Allow to set up at room temperatire for several hours or chill in the refridgerator for 30 minutes.

MRS. FIELDS COOKIES

Makes: 112 cookies Preheat: 375 degrees Bake Time: 8-10 minutes

Cream together:
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar

Add:
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla (I had to use 3 to make all the dry ingrediants stick together)

Mix together:
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal (the original recipe calls for you to blend or food process the oatmeal until it turns to powder -- I just used oatmeal baby food)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda

(I mixed the dry ingrediants and then added the wet ingrediants to it)
Add 24 oz. of chocolate chips, one 8 oz hershey bar (grated)  and 3 cups chopped nuts. (I skipped chocolate bar and nuts today). Make golf-ball sized balls. Drop 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Makes 112 cookies.
Recipe may be cut in half for approximately 5 dozen cookies

And of course the yummy CROCK POT LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP that we all enjoyed for lunch:

1/2 stick butter
1 whole medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2-3 chopped cloves
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
8 whole large baking potatoes
3 cans chicken broth
8 oz. fluid sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 package cooked crumbled bacon

TURN crockpot on high and put in the butter. Add chopped onion and celery. (If using fresh garlic add it now). Add salt and pepper. Stir and let cook while you peel and chop the potatoes. C
Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch squares. Add potatoes and garlic (if you aren't using fresh) to the pot. Add 2 cans of the chicken stock. Add some of the remaining can if the potatoes are not covered.
Cook on high for 4 hours (8 on low) or until the potatoes are down.
Once potatoes are done, mash some up witha potato masher. We like a lot of chunks so we only mash about 1/4 of the potatoes.
Add in sour cream, heavy cream, cheese and bacon (minus a handful to put on top for garnish)
If the soup is too thick, add enough of the remaining can of chicken stockto thin the soup. If it is too thin, cook remaining baked potato in the microwave; scoop out, mash and add to soup. Each crock pot is different so the required broth may vary.
Ladle soup into bowls and add additional cheddar and bacon for garnish.

I "heart" tofu

I love tofu. Unfortunately my son Dillon is the only one who shares this love of mine. The rest of my family will eat it, they just don't love it. Well I determined to have tofu for dinner at least once or twice a month so I have to get creative with how I prepare it.

I found this recipe below on the Internet and I am happy to report (with the exception of my 4 year old who eats it all, but chews up and spits out the tofu) that we ALL love this recipe.

I've yet to use the sake, hoisin sauce, or sesame oil in the recipe just because I haven't had them on hand, but it tastes great without.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 (14-ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, drained and cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices green onions
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons sake (rice wine)
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• Thinly sliced green onions (optional)

Preparation

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan. Add eggs to pan; cook 1 minute or until done, breaking egg into small pieces. Remove from pan. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to pan. Add 1 cup onions, peas and carrots, garlic, and ginger; sauté 2 minutes.

While vegetable mixture cooks, combine sake, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil. Add cooked rice to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tofu, egg, and soy sauce mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Requesting some sweet potato recipes

Shout out to all the yummy food brought to the party tonight! Everyone should post the traditional recipes they brought. I'm dying for the delicious sweet potato recipes I tasted tonight. And ... spoiler alert ... I think Jenni is going to grace us with the recipe for those delicious rolls!