Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs
These kebabs are so easy to make and very low fat.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Chicken Breasts Cut Into 1 Inch Cubes
1 Cup Halved Mushrooms
½ Medium Red Bell Pepper Seeded & Cut Into 1 Inch Cubes
1 Small Yellow Squash Cut Into ½ Inch Rounds
1 Small Zucchini Cut Into ½ Inch Rounds
½ Red Onion Cut Into Wedges
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon
Place the mushrooms, vegetables and onions in a large, self closing, plastic bag. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, rosemary and tarragon. Pour into the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours. You can either grill these or cook under the broiler in your oven. On 12 inch skewers alternate the ingredients. Arrange the chicken cubes, pepper, squash, onion and zucchini. Gook under the broiler for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning once. Remove from the oven or grill and place on a serving platter. Serve over rice. Serves 4
Ultimate Ginger Snaps
If you like Ginger Snaps, like I do, then you will love these. They are nice and chewy with just the right amount of ginger. You just might want to double the batch because they are sure to be a big hit.
INGREDIENTS
2 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoons Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
¾ Cup (1 ½ Sticks) Softened Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Dark Molasses
1 Large Egg
3 ½ Ounces Crystallized Ginger Chips
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Stir in the molasses and the egg. Add the dry ingredients to the ginger chips. For the best result, chill the dough for 1 hour. Form 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Make sure that they are about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven while the cookies are still soft. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a serving plate. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Oven Barbecued Spareribs
You’re going to need a shower after eating these!
INGREDIENTS
6 Pounds Pork Spareribs – Cut into 1 Rib Portions
6 Ounces Tomato Paste
¼ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
½ Cup Water
¼ Cup Honey
¼ Cup Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Grated Onion
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Salt
Preheat oven to 325° F. Arrange spareribs in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Roast spareribs for 1 hour. Meanwhile prepare glaze. In a medium bowl, combine tomato paste, brown sugar, water, honey, cider vinegar, olive oil, grated onion, chili powder and salt until well blended. Brush spareribs with glaze. Continue roasting ribs, brushing frequently with glaze, until ribs are tender, about 30 minutes longer. Serves 6
Toffee Ginger Shortbreads
I used my simple shortbread recipe and added toffee and crystallized ginger chips. These shortbread cookies came out amazingly delicious.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Unbleached Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 Pound Softened Butter
½ Cup Crystallized Ginger Chips
8 Ounces English Toffee Bits
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and butter. Mix thoroughly. Add the ginger chips and English toffee bits and mix. The dough should be in the shape of a ball. Press the dough into a medium size baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper don’t worry. You don’t need to grease the pan. Prick the surface with a fork making evenly distribute perforations. Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 40 minutes until the shortbread is delicately brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and place onto a serving plate. Makes 32 shortbreads.
Note: I like to use Heath English Toffee bits.
Scalloped Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
6 Cups Sliced Potatoes With Skins
¼ Cup Diced Green Peppers
¼ Cup Diced Green Onions
¼ Cup Pimento
1 Pound Shredded Cheddar Cheese
20 Ounces Cream of Celery Soup
10 Ounces Chicken Broth
1 Cup Sour Cream
Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain well. In a medium size skillet sauté the green peppers and onions. Mix in the sautéed green peppers and onion with the pimento and cheese in a medium size bowl. Mix the soup, broth and sour cream into the onion & cheese mixture. Arrange the potatoes in an oiled medium size baking dish. Pour the mixed ingredient over the potatoes and bake in a 350° F preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Serves 8
Pumpkin & Berry Muffins
These muffins came out very moist! They are extra large and super good. I like to double the recipe and fill the muffin cups to the top edge for that bigger deli size muffin. You can add extra berries if you want.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
½ Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blackberries
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease the muffin cups or line them with muffin liners. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium size bowl. In a separate medium size bowl combine the oil, egg, buttermilk and pumpkin puree. Mix the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Next, fold in the blueberries and blackberries. Fill the muffin cups right to the top. Bake for 20 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and serve. Serves 8
Sourdough Rolls
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Sourdough Starter
¼ Cup Melted Butter
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix well and make a hole in the center and pour in the starter. Knead the dough in the bowl for 3 minutes. Pinch off golf ball size pieces and shape them into biscuits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rolls on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 ½ hours. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven sand serve warm. Makes 12 rolls.
Glazed Ham
A Boxing Day Tradition!
INGREDIENTS
1 Five Pound Cooked Ham
¼ Cup Whole Cloves
¼ Cup Maple Syrup
2 Cups Honey
2/3 Cup Butter
Score the ham and stud with the whole cloves. Place the ham in a foil lined pan. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Using a double boiler, heat the maple syrup, honey and butter. Keep the glaze warm while baking the ham. Brush the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste the ham every 10 minutes with the glaze. During the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 15
Perfect Pecan Pie
INGREDIENTS
9 Inch Pie Shell
3 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 ½ Tablespoons Melted & Cooled Unsalted Butter
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Pecan Halves
1 Cup Chilled Heavy Whipped Cream (Optional)
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the pie pan with the pastry and crimp the edges and store in the refrigerator while preparing the filling. In a large bowl beat the eggs until blended, but not too much. You don’t want the eggs to be frothy. Stir in the corn syrup and the vanilla. In a separate small bowl mix together the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the sugars, the melted butter and salt into the egg mixture. Spread 1 cup of the pecans on the bottom of the pastry shell. Pour the filling mixture over the pecans. Pour the remaining 1 cup of pecan over the top of the mixture and even them out. Bake the pie for 60 minutes until the filling is slightly puffed and the inserted knife comes out clean. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature. If you would like to serve whip cream then whip the cream and serve it on the side. Serves 8
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Unbelievably yummy!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
8 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Chocolate Chips
In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter for 1 minute. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and beat until creamy. Blend in the flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spread into a parchment paper lined 13×9 inch baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the cookie layer. Let stand for 5 minutes until the chocolate chips become soft. Spread the rest of the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Cool completel and slice into cookie bars. Makes 24 cookies.
