White Chocolate Chip Candy Cane (or Macadamia Nut) Cookies

Around Christmastime a coworker brought in a big batch of white chocolate chip candy cane cookies. I had never had these before, and I brought a couple home to my boys. They loved them and it was obvious we had to make our own -- in fact, Zeke declared them his favorite cookies ever!

Aaron suggested using a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough instead of a traditional chocolate chip cookie dough, which was a great idea. I used the recipe at http://www.annies-eats.com/2013/02/22/white-chocolate-chunk-macadamia-nut-cookies, with a couple of changes. I was intrigued by how she suggested to shape the cookies... and pleasantly surprised to find that it does make for pretty cookies.

1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 + 1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 c flour
1/2 bag white chocolate chips
1/4 c chopped candy canes (or heaping 1/4 c macadamia nuts)

Cream butter and sugars until well blended. Add vanilla and mix well. Add egg and mix well. Add dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour) and mix until well combined. Add chocolate chips and candy canes and mix until thoroughly distributed. cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment. Form cookies by rolling about 1/4 c of dough into a ball, then separating into two pieces. Place 'jagged' sides up on the cookie sheet. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until just set (but still flexible) and just barely starting to brown. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes about 2.5 dozen

Chicken Mushroom Pasta

adapted from http://www.eatliverun.com/creamy-chicken-and-mushroom-pasta-skillet/

1 package fresh mushrooms
2 medium chicken thighs
1 large clove garlic
1 tbsp butter/margarine
3 tsp beef bullion (2 bullion cubes)
1 1/2 c milk
 2 heaping tbsp cornstarch
~ 8 oz cooked egg noodles

Thinly slice mushrooms, mince garlic, and chop chicken. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic. Cook until fragrant and add mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms get juicy, stirring constantly. Reduce heat slightly and add chicken and 1 tsp bullion. Cook until chicken is done and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.
Whisk cornstarch into milk and add to skillet, along with the remaining bullion. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is bubbly and thickens. Toss with egg noodles (you probably won't use a full 8 oz) and serve immediately.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Adapted from the recipe on the package of Ball freezer jars

2 lb strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp fruit pectin (most of a small box)

Rinse strawberries and drain. Let warm up to around room temp if they have been in the fridge. Hull strawberries and cut into halves or quarters (or smaller if they are very large). Crush strawberries using a food processor (or blender or potato masher...), leaving some larger fruit chunks as desired, until you have 2 1/2 c. Stir sugar and pectin together, then add strawberries. Stir for 3 minutes, then place in freezer jars. Let stand for 30 minutes to thicken.

My notes:
1 c quartered strawberries made about 3/4 cup puree
I used about 3/4 of my 2 lb package of strawberries
I made the jam in a 4 cup measuring cup, which makes for easy pouring into jars
Yield was 3- 8 oz jars plus about 2 oz extra
Total active time about 45 minutes

Chicken Chow Mein

Adapted from Sun Luck

1 large carrot
2-3 medium stalks celery
1/4 medium onion
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can water chestnuts
1 large clove garlic
2 chicken thighs
1 1/2 packages soba chow mein noodles

For the sauce:
1 1/2 tsp chicken bullion
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Prepare vegetables: shred carrot, thinly slice celery and onion, and I also like to slice the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts to be roughly the same size as the other veggies. Mince garlic and set aside. Chop chicken into small cubes and add to garlic.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package directions (around 3 minutes). Drain noodles and rinse in cold water. Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a wok over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add noodles and toss to distribute the oil. Cook 3-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until noodles are heated through and sticky. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat another 1 tbsp oil in the wok and add the veggies. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary. When veggies are almost done, add the chicken and garlic. Stir fry until chicken is white on the outside and garlic is fragrant, then cover.

While veggies cook, make the sauce. Add bullion to 1 1/2 cups water and microwave about 1 minute or until bullion dissolves. Add soy sauce. In a separate small bowl, stir cornstarch into 1 1/2 tbsp water. When chicken is cooked through, stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir cornstarch mixture and stir into boiling liquid. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until sauce thickens (it will still be thin). Remove from heat and stir in noodles. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally.

note: the noodles are soba noodles, not the crispy chow mein noodles you put on salads. They are in the Asian foods section and come in bricks like ramen noodles. I get mine at Walmart.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Adapted from a make-a-mix recipe

2 medium chicken thighs
1 can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 can green chiles
~2/3 c black or pinto beans (or 1/3 dry beans, cooked)
1/3 c long grain rice
1/4 c chopped onion
1 tsp chicken bullion
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder


Place chicken in soup pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer. When chicken is partially cooked, add tomatoes, chiles, onion, and beans. When chicken is cooked through, remove chicken from pot and stir in the spices and rice. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer about 20 minutes. While rice is cooking, shred chicken. When rice is tender, stir in chicken and remove from heat. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped olives, sour cream, etc.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Modified from Emeril's recipe

1.5 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 lemon (2 tsp lemon zest and 1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds and set aside. Zest lemon, then juice lemon. Add bottled lemon juice if necessary to make 1/4 cup. Set both aside.

In a large bowl, mix together egg and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in buttermilk, vanilla,  lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined. Add butter and mix until combined, but don't overmix. Fold in dry ingredients until just moistened.

Divide batter into a 12-muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake at 400°F for 16-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Tops will look set but not browned. Cool for 10  minutes in tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Burrito Bake

Adapted from Rosarita.

4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1 can red enchilada sauce (or green, if you prefer, we like red)
1 can refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb hamburger
chopped onion

Brown hamburger and onions together and set aside. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray and spoon in enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Generously spread one tortilla with a thick layer of refried beans and place in pan (beans side up). Top with 1/3 of the hamburger-onion mixture, about 1/4 of the remaining enchilada sauce, and a layer of cheese. Repeat twice more, making 3 layers and using all of the meat. Spread remaining tortilla with beans and place on top, beans side down. Cover top of tortilla with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, and other cool garnishes.

Easy Peppermint Bark

Here's the link: http://www.simplyscratch.com/2011/11/salted-chocolate-peppermint-bark.html

Here's what I did:

Melt 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. Spread onto foil-lined cookie sheet (spread thin; will cover most of the foil). Put in fridge for 15-20 minutes or until hard. Meanwhile, crush 15-20 starlight mints and set aside. When chocolate has hardened, melt 1 bag white chocolate chips in double boiler. Cool for a few minutes until just warm, then spread over semi-sweet layer. Scatter mints on top and press into chocolate. Refrigerate until set, then break into pieces.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (Cake)

Tried a new recipe this weekend. We were thinking pumpkin cookie bars, but this is really a cake.

We used white chocolate chips instead of semi sweet and it turned out great. It has a really nice pumpkin spice flavor. I didn't have pumpkin pie spice so I used 1.5 tsp cinnamon, .5 tsp nutmeg, .5 tsp ginger, and .5 tsp cloves instead.

Here's the link to the recipe: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bars/

No-Bake Cheesecakes

My favorite cheesecake is a no-bake cheesecake. There are two ways I have done it, and both are listed here.

The sweetened condensed milk version is really rich, while the cream version has a much lighter flavor. Both need some fridge time to set up and are best sliced and served straight out of the fridge because they soften quickly at room temperature.

For the graham cracker crust, I use 1 sleeve (10) crackers and 6 tablespoons butter (like this recipe only without the sugar).

Brownie in a Mug

Haven't tried this, but it's intriguing!

http://www.food.com/recipe/microwave-chocolate-mug-brownie-349246

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

There are two ways I have dipped pretzels: with almond bark and with chocolate chips. I like both ways. The almond bark is a little less fussy, but you have more options with the chips (dark chocolate, even peanut butter or butterscotch chips). Also, I prefer the double boiler method over the microwave method because the chocolate stays on the heat.

Baking chips or almond bark of choice

Vegetable oil (if you are using chips)

Pretzels

Set a small saucepan about half full of water on the stove to heat. Set a heatproof bowl on top of the pan (the bottom of the bowl should be above the water). Put chocolate in the bowl. Stir occasionally as it starts to melt. If using chips, add a little bit of vegetable oil to thin it down (about 1 tsp per bag of chips). White chocolate can be tinted with food coloring for pretty colors.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside. Dip pretzels in chocolate and place on baking sheet to cool. Almond bark tends to set up fast at room temperature while chocolate chips need some fridge time to harden quickly.

Note that we aren't concerned with how the pretzels look at the end (flat spots on the bottom, etc.) -- it's the taste that matters :)

Soy Chicken

Chicken breasts or thighs

1 clove garlic

Soy sauce

Thaw chicken if frozen, then place in a ziplock bag. Mince garlic and add to bag, then add soy sauce to coat. Squish bag around so garlic and soy sauce are well combined with chicken. Let sit for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Cook as desired.

*This is also my stir fry chicken recipe! Mix chopped chicken with garlic and soy sauce, and I let stand while I cook the veggies.

Berry Fruit Salad

Put this together for a barbeque with friends and it was a hit!

1 bag (2 lb) green grapes

1 carton (1 lb) strawberries

1 carton (1 dry pint) blueberries

1 carton (6 oz) raspberries

1 carton (6 oz) blackberries

A few hours before serving, wash fruit and remove any pieces that are squished, bruised, or otherwise un-appetizing:

Remove grapes from stems and place in a colander. Rinse under cool water and set aside.

Rinse raspberries and blackberries and place on paper towels.

Rinse whole strawberries in colander and transfer to paper towels.

Rinse blueberries in colander and set aside.

Let drain/dry for a few hours so fruit isn't wet when you assemble the salad (some water drops are okay).

To assemble:

Place grapes in large bowl. Slice strawberries lengthwise into thirds (or smaller to roughly match size of grapes). Toss together. Add blueberries and toss gently. Scatter raspberries and blackberries on top. Serve soon, without refrigerating.

White Chocolate Popcorn

My sister-in-law Dawnie makes this every year for the 4th of July. I had no idea it was so easy until this year!

popcorn (Dawnie uses theater butter microwave popcorn)

white almond bark

Pop popcorn and lay out in a single layer on wax paper or parchment paper. Remove as many unpopped kernels as possible. Melt chocolate in the microwave and drizzle over popcorn. Allow chocolate to harden.

Not sure of the proportions to use here -- I would guess one square of almond bark to a bag of popcorn.

Stain Removal: Crayon+Linoleum

Wet a rag with warm water and put it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove carefully and lay flat over crayon marks. After a few seconds (when the cloth is cool enough to handle) scrub at the marks underneath. The heat softens the wax so it comes up more easily.

Thanks ehow for the hot water suggestion

Homemade Oreos

We were in the mood for chocolate wafers, and these are perfect to satisfy that craving:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/05/my-kingdom-for-a-glass-of-milk/

For Oreo-size, stick to the teaspoon of dough. For chocolate cookies to eat plain, use more like a tablespoon of dough.

I used just 1 c of sugar and that was perfect for us.

Mini Pigs in Blankets

1 pkg mini sausages (little smokies)

2 tubes refrigerator biscuits

sliced cheddar cheese

Use 1 sausage, a thin strip of cheese about the length of the sausage, and 1/3 biscuit for each. Assemble just like the classic version and bake as directed on the biscuits package.

Cookies and Cream Fudge

It's amazing - white chocolate and oreos all on one beautiful bite. Recipe is here.

Tips:
skip the sugar (it's super sweet without)
we used mini marshmallows instead of marshmallow cream (about 2 heaping cups for this recipe)
it may set up in an hour or two, but it is much better after chilling overnight
half a recipe made plenty for our family

Banana Bread

Loertscher family

2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
4 beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3-4 ripe bananas, pureed
1 c nuts (if desired)

Cream butter and sugar and stir in eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda, flour, and banana puree. Mix well. Fold in nuts and pour into loaf pans. Bake at 350 °F for 50-60 minutes.

Makes 4 small loaves.