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!

Sweet Potato Cranberry Bake

Stolen from: AllRecipes It is a Taste of Home recipe and I almost always adore those. I have their cookbook and sporadically subscribe to their magazine for yummy recipe ideas.

I'll tell you right off the bat that I don't like to eat cranberries but, funnily enough, I really like the flavor.
I tried this out for Thanksgiving tonight and really really liked the taste of the sweet potatoes flavored with the cranberries but when I tried an obligatory bite with a whole cranberry it was not so great. Others concurred. Cranberry flavor = yum. Actual cranberries = so so.

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups granola cereal (I didn't have so I used a little oatmeal/brown sugar concoction I threw together. I wouldn't recommend skipping all together though.)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cover sweet potatoes with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-in. pieces. Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and salt; place half in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the sweet potatoes. Repeat layers. Dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until cranberries are tender. Uncover and sprinkle with granola; return to the oven for 10 minutes. 
2. ALTERATION NOTES: I peeled and chopped the potatoes before cooking them and that worked fine. Also one of the reviews I read said that she peeled and chopped potatoes and then baked them without precooking - just increased cooking time. She said that worked well.

Not a Recipe, but it's about food!

So I know we're supposed to put recipes up, but I wanted to let you all know about this wonderful little co-op that I'm a part of and since it has to do with food, I'm taking liberties. I got all of this wonderful produce that you see in this picture for $15 from an organization called Bountiful Baskets. It's completely volunteer run. I've done it twice now and have loved the quality and variety of food I've received. It's different each time because it's done seasonally. They just opened up a site in Lacey if you're interested just go to their website for further details and to login. This is a cheap alternative to signing up with a specific farm. There are no contracts and you can get it one week and not the next if you prefer. I have really enjoyed it. http://www.bountifulbaskets.org
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Thanks, brianne

Chicken and Red Potatoes

3 Tbsp. flour
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges (I use more - probably 6)
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies (If your family doesn't like spicy meals, you don't have to use the whole can. Sometimes I only use half.)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag or bowl with a lid. Add chicken, one piece at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown chicken in olive oil on both sides. (I skip the browning step if I am in a hurry.)

Meanwhile, place the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and chilies in a greased 5 qt crock pot. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of soup mixture over vegetables. Transfer chicken to slow cooker; top with remaining soup mixture. Cover and cook on low for 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours or until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender. Makes 4 servings.

EASY CHILI

EASY CHILI

(QUICK TIPS IN RED)

3 cloves garlic

2 medium onion

1 large green pepper

2 jalapeños

Chop all vegetables into medium sized pieces. Sauté with oil in a large skillet (or soup pot).

2 lbs ground beef

Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Cumin, Chili Powder to taste

Add beef to skillet. Brown, season, and drain.

2 cups dry pinto/pink beans (2 cans undrained)

1 cup dry kidney/red beans (1 can undrained)

Several hours ahead of time put all dried beans into crock pot with 6 cups water and a heaping spoonful of Crisco. Cook in the Crockpot on high for several hours (they are done when you blow on a spoonful of beans and can see the skins peal back on their own).

When the beans are done add contents of skillet to the Crockpot. Also add:

1 can diced tomatoes – undrained

15 oz jar medium salsa

Stir. Continue to cook on high until dinner time. This is a good all day leave it to simmer kind of meal.

For a quicker 30 minute meal add canned beans, canned tomatoes, and salsa to soup pot containing meat mixture. Stir. Heat on stove top until bubbling and serve.

Serve with cheddar cheese. Great with tortilla chips.

Even better as leftovers.