What's Cooking

Apple Crisp

8-9 cups peeled, sliced apples
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cup butter or margarine

Heat oven 375. Place apples in a buttered 13x9 inch baking dish. Blend remaining ingredients until crumbly. Spread evenly over apples. Bake 30-35 minutes or until fork will slide easily into apple when tested.

This is an easy, yummy alternative to apple pie. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

What's Cooking

Lemonade Layer Cake

Cake
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 Tbsp butter or margarine softened
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
3 Tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Frosting
2 Tbsp butter or margarine softened
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla
8 oz less fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) round cake pans.

To prepare cake, beat first 5 ingredients until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine dry ingredients. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared cake pans, tap sharply to remove air bubbles, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

To prepare frosting, mix together first five ingredients, beating until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Chill 1 hour.

Frost cake and store loosely covered in refrigerator.

This is a super moist cake. I baked it for my book club, and the ladies all requested the recipe. Enjoy!

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Guacamole

3 medium avocados mashed
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup salsa
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tomato diced
1 green onion sliced

Combine first six ingredients. Gently stir in tomato and green onion. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

This recipe is a crowd favorite. You may have to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your avocados.

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Spinach and Strawberry Salad

6oz bag of baby spinach washed
1/2 basket of strawberries cleaned and sliced
2 green onions chopped
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Place spinach, strawberries, green onion and sesame seeds in a bowl. Whisk together remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Serves 4

This is an easy and delicious spring or summer salad. Enjoy!

What's Cooking

Grilled Chicken with Zesty Dijon Marinade

4 chicken breast halves trimmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together all ingredients and pour over chicken breasts. Marinate for one hour and grill. Serves 4

This is a quick and easy summer recipe. Double or triple it to feed a crowd.

What's Cooking

This is a great summertime recipe. Enjoy!

Lemon Linguine with Chicken

1/2 lb linguine
1 large chicken breast half (about 3/4 lb)
1 tsp lemon pepper
2+ Tbsp olive oil
juice and zest from 1 large lemon
2 green onions chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or to taste

Cook linguine following package directions and drain. Gently pound chicken breast to a thickness of about a 1/2 inch. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Grill until done and slice into narrow strips. In a large serving bowl mix 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice and zest, green onion, and parsley. Add linguine, chicken, salt and pepper, pine nuts, and Parmesan and toss to mix. Serves 4

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Sugar and Spice Cookies

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Topping
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
Combine and set aside.

Heat oven to 350. Combine sugars, butter, vanilla and eggs. Beat well. Add dry ingredients and stir until blended. Shape dough into walnut sized balls and roll in topping. Place on cookie sheets and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 9 minutes and cool. Makes 3 dozen.

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Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 med. onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1 16 oz can Great Northern beans rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes with juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3/4 lb) poached and shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 med tomato chopped
1 small avocado peeled and diced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Cook onion and garlic in a large saute pan with a little canola oil for about 3 min. Add broth, rice, beans, canned tomatoes, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 min. Stir in chicken, cilantro, salt and pepper and heat thoroughly (5-10 min.) Remove from heat and stir in tomato, avocado, and lime juice. If soup is too thick, add a little water. Serves 4

I like to serve this yummy soup with cheese quesadillas. I make mine with flour tortillas, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green onion, diced green chiles, salsa and sour cream. Quick and delicious!

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Cinnamon Breakfast Puffs

2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted

Heat oven to 350. Combine first 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl mix egg, milk and 1/2 cup melted butter. Add to flour mixture and stir lightly. Pour batter into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Dip tops of warm muffins into melted butter and then coat with cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm.

This was a Sunday morning favorite in our house when I was a girl.

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Fiesta Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 4oz can diced green chiles drained
4 slices bacon
2 green onions chopped
1 avocado diced
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350. Lightly pound breasts to ensure even cooking. Lay breasts in a baking pan and loosely cover with foil. Bake 20 min. or until cooked through. Drain any liquid from pan. Mix cheese and chiles together in a bowl. Cook bacon and crumble. Top each breast with 1/4 of the cheese mixture, patting to hold in place. Sprinkle breasts evenly with bacon and green onion. Return chicken to oven and bake uncovered for approx. five minutes or until cheese melts. Top with avocado and sour cream. Serves 4.

This recipe is a favorite in our house. Super yummy!

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Easy Mu Shu Pork

This dish comes together in about 15 min. once you have all the ingredients prepared.

4 tsp canola oil divided
2 eggs beaten
1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb. pork tenderloin trimmed and sliced into thin strips
1/2 head of green cabbage cored and thinly sliced
1 carrot peeled and grated
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
4 green onions chopped
8-10 large flour tortillas
extra hoisin sauce

Prepare all ingredients first. Using a wok or large skillet, scramble eggs in a tsp of oil and set aside. Cook ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes in a tsp of oil for 1 min. Add a little more oil to the pan along with the pork and stir fry for 4-5 min. or until pork is cooked through. Remove from pan, drain any liquid, and set aside. In the final tsp of oil cook cabbage and carrot. Add water and cover, stirring occasionally. Cabbage should be wilted in about 8 min. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, and hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Add to pan along with green onion, pork and eggs. Heat through. Place tortillas between 2 damp paper towels and microwave for 1 min. Serve immediately with extra hoisin sauce brushed on the tortillas. Enjoy!

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Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Cheddar

4 baking potatoes peeled an cubed
1/2 cup milk (approx.)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese grated
2 green onions chopped
3 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash with milk, butter and sour cream to desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Serves 4 to 5
This is a family favorite sure to please even the pickiest kids!

What's Cooking

This recipe was my contribution to The Wild Rose Press Cookbook. It's a good one!

Chicken and Ham Roll-Ups

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 thin slices deli ham
4 slices provolone cheese
1 egg
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Heat oven to 400°

Pound chicken breasts to ¼ inch thickness. Top each with 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of provolone cheese trimmed to fit. Roll chicken into bundles. Tuck in ends and secure each roll-up with a short skewer. Beat egg in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl mix together bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Dip chicken bundles in egg and then roll in crumb mixture. Melt butter or margarine in an oven proof skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken roll-ups, turning carefully to brown evenly on all sides. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 15 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Note—If your skillet is not oven proof, wrap the handle in foil. Remove skewers and serve.

4 Servings

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Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can peeled tomatoes (cut up) with juice
1 15 oz can tomato puree
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine (Cab or Merlot)
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp sugar

Brown ground beef in large pot, draining any fat. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is wilted. Add remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.

Herb measurements are approximate, as I am one of those cooks who never measures anything. Fresh herbs can be substituted for dried ones if you have them on hand. Mushrooms may also be added if you like. (I'm not a big fan of fungi.)

Recipe will generously feed 12 people and freezes well. For my family of 4, I divide the sauce into 3 portions and freeze 2 containers for future use. Serve over spaghetti noodles with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!

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Artichoke Dip

Everyone has a favorite artichoke dip recipe. This one is mine.

1 14oz can artichoke hearts drained
1 7oz can chopped green chiles drained
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise (store brands tend to separate)

Heat oven to 350

Break up artichoke hearts with a fork and mix all ingredients in an oven proof bowl. Bake uncovered for 40 min. Serve with assorted crackers or tortilla chips.

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Chicken and Linguine with Peanut Sauce

4 chicken breast halves trimmed
1/2 lb linguine (or pasta of your choice)

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 rounded Tbsp fresh ginger minced or grated
4 cloves garlic minced or crushed
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil

Combine all peanut sauce ingredients with a whisk, adding oil slowly to emulsify. Marinate chicken breasts for an hour in just enough sauce to coat them. Grill breasts, basting with the sauce. Cook pasta, drain, mix with remaining peanut sauce, and heat. Leave a little peanut sauce to serve with the chicken. Yum!

Recipe serves 4 and can be easily adjusted to fit the needs of your family.

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Caesar Salad

Romaine lettuce washed and torn into pieces
Croutons
Freshly Grated Parmesan

Caesar Dressing

In a blender combine:
1 egg
juice from 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves chopped
3 heaping Tbsp Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

While blender is running slowly add:
1 cup canola oil

Combine desired amount of dressing with salad ingredients. Remaining dressing will keep refrigerated for several days.

I got this recipe from my late mother-in-law, and it is a family favorite. Enjoy!