Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles

1 lb. whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles
2 T. sesame oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. rice vinegar
1 scant t. crushed red pepper flakes
1 c. hot water
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped white onion
1/2 c. finely chopped red or orange bell pepper
2 1/2 to 3 c. cooked, shredded chicken breast
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro leaves or parsley
1/2 t. salt, or to taste
1/4 c. dry roasted peanuts, chopped
2 T. sesame seeds (just sprinkle some on top)

Cook the chicken.  Set water to boil and cook noodles according to package directions.  Prepare the sauce in food processor as follows:
Place garlic and ginger in food processor until well chopped.  Add peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes.  Pulse until well combined and slowly add hot water.  Set aside.

Place olive oil in hot skillet over medium heat.  Saute onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened.  Stir in cooked chicken breasts (shredded), cilantro, and salt.  Stir until heated through.  Add sauce and chicken mixture to noodles.  Toss to coat and garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds, if desired.

Troy's Limeade

1 1/2 c. lime juice (fresh squeezed)
1 1/2 c. sugar, dissolved in 1/2 c. boiled water
5 cups cold water
4 or 5 strawberries for garnish

(can be done with lemons for lemonade)  Really good with anything, but especially Mexican.

Individual Party Ham Roll Ups (RS Birthday Dinner GWV 2008)

25 slices ham (about 5 lbs)
25 slices Swiss cheese (about 1.5 lbs)
Cornbread Stuffing
Apricot Sauce
Lay out ham and cheese slices
Spoon about 1/3  cup cornbread stuffing in center of each ham slice.  Lay slice of Swiss cheese on top of stuffing.  Roll up and secure with toothpick.  Place in shallow baking dish.  Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Spoon 2-3 T. apricot sauce over each roll-up when ready to serve.  Makes 25 servings.

Apricot Sauce
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. brown sugar
1 c. water
1 c. pineapple juice
1 T. butter
1/4 c. apricot preserves

Mix cornstarch and brown sugar in small saucepan.  Add water and pineapple juice and stir over med heat until mixture boils and thickens.  Stir in butter and preserves. 

Cornbread Stuffing

1 pan 8 x 8 cornbread (any favorite recipe or a mix)
1 c. finely chopped celery and leaves
4 T. finely chopped onion
1 c. butter
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/4 c. water

Cook celery and onion in butter or margarine until soft.  Stir in preserves and water.  Toss lightly with crumbled cornbread.  Add more water, if desired.

Exceptional Grapefruit Ice

1 c. sugar
4 c. water
Boil together for 5 minutes
Pour into large bowl and let cool.
Add 2 cans crushed grapefruit (crush with fork)
2 cans crushed pineapple
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 litre ginger ale, sprite or 7-up
Tint green with a few drops of food coloring, if desired
Pour into freezer bags and freeze until ready to serve.

Spinach/Artichoke Dip

1 c. cream cheese
1 c. sour cream
1 c. parmesan
2 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
10 oz. frozen spinach
1 lb. artichoke hearts

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

Escalloped Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs. red potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced
1/4 c. flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. chopped onion (or 1 shallot)
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
3 T. butter
1 1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 c. or 6 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (or any cheese you like)
1/2 c. or 2 oz. Parmesan cheese

Toss potatoes with flour in bowl to coat.  Saute butter and onion for 2 minutes.  Add potatoes, milk, salt, pepper, cream.  Stir well.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer until thickened.  Put 1/2 of mixture into lightly greased casserole dish.  Sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese.  Repeat with potato mixture and then cheese.  Top with Parmesan

Cover.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Uncover.  Bake 35-40 minutes or unto potatoes are tender.

Chicken Salad for Croissants

4 chicken breasts--shredded
4 celery stalks--finely chopped (2 is enough)
1 T. Catalyna dressing
1 1/2 t. onion salt
2 T. vinegar
1 c. mayonnaise

Soak chicken in salt water ovenright before cooking.  Cook chicken with onion salt and bay leaves.  Mix cooled and shredded chicken breasts with chopped celery, Catalyna dressing, onion salt, vinegar, and 1 cup mayo.  Serve on croissants.

Sausage Stuffed Squash (8 servings)

4 acorn squash
1 lb. bulk sausage (Patty likes Jimmy Dean HOT)
4 apples peeled and chopped
4 c. chopped cabbage
1/2 c. slivered almonds
salt and pepper to taste
Optional:  1/2 t. thyme, 2 t. sage

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fiber.  Place in pan and cut side down with 1/2 inch water.  Bake in 400 degree oven  for 20 minutes.  At the same time, brown sausage and crumble.  Use pot large enough to hold apples and cabbage.  Drain off fat and add apples, cabbage, and almonds.  Cook until not quite tender.  Add spices as desired.  Mix well. 

Turn squash over and fill with sausage mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees about 30 minutes or until squash pulp is done.  Extra filling can be baked in casserole.  We always want more sausage with our squash. 

Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. smooth natural peanut butter
2 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 t. minced garlic
1 1/2 t. chile-garlic sauce
1 t. minced fresh ginger
8 oz. whole-wheat spaghetti
1 bag fresh vegetable medley

Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.

Meanwhile, place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size strips. 

Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, Chile-garlic sauce and ginger in a large bowl.

Cook pasta in the boiling water until not quite tender, about 1 minute less than specified in the package directions.  Add vegetables and cook until the pasta and vegetables are just tender, 1 minute more.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Rinse the pasta and vegetables with cool water to refresh.  Stir the reserve cooking liquid into the peanut sauce, add the pasta, vegetables and chicken; toss well to coat.  Serve warm or chilled. 

Ginger Snaps with Pumpkin Dip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
4 T. molasses
Blend with a hand mixer until smooth.  Sift together:
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix until nice dough forms.  Roll dough into balls and dip in white sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven when cookies are puffed up and cracking but BEFORE they darken around the edges.

PUMPKIN DIP
1 8-ounce package softened cream cheese.
2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 15 oz. can solid packed pumpkin
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

In medium bowl blend cream cheese and sugar.  In separate bowl, mix solid packed pumpkin, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and frozen orange juice concentrate.  Thoroughly mix in the cream cheese blend.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.  (I serve the cookies on a tray with pumpkin dip in a little hollowed out pumpkin.)

Lemon Crinkle Cookies (2-3 dozen)

1/2 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 t. lemon zest
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
1/8 t. baking soda
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice.  Scrape sides and mix again.  Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.  Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.  Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate.  Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar.  Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte (not melty or shiny).  Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Milk Chocolate Bar Cake

1 (18.25 oz) package Swiss chocolate cake mix
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
10 (1.5 oz) milk chocolate candy bars with almonds, divided
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

PREPARE cake batter according to package directions.  Pour into 3 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans.

BAKE at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is creamy.

CHOP 8 candy bars finely or melt in microwave and let cool.   Fold cream cheese mixture and chopped candy or melted candy into whipped topping.

SPREAD icing between layers and on top of sides of cake.  Chop remaining 2 candy bars.  Sprinkle half of chopped candy bars over cake.  Press remaining chopped candy along bottom edge of cake. 

Pumpkin Roll Cake (16 servings)

A thin pumpkin cake, rolled around in a white cream filling, then in nuts.  Can be frozen and served chilled.  Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
1 t. lemon juice
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1 c. chopped walnuts
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for 5 minutes.  Gradually beat in white sugar until thick, and lemon-colored.  Add pumpkin and lemon juice.

In another bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; fold into the pumpkin mixture.

Grease a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan; line with waxed paper.  Grease and flour the paper.  Spread batter into pan; sprinkle with walnuts

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Immediately turn out onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar.  Peel off paper and roll cake up in the towel, starting with the short end.  Cool. 

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy.

Carefully unroll the cake.  Spread filling over cake to within 1 inch of edges.  Roll up again.  Cover and chill until serving.  Dust with additional confectioners' sugar, if desired. 

Marinated Turkey

Marinate overnight
1 can 7-up
1 1/2 c. soy sauce
1 1/2 c. oil
2 t. horseradish
2 t. garlic
Cut-up turkey breast or chicken breast

Sauce
1 c. mayo
2 T. sweet, sour mustard
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. lemon juice
2 t. fresh dill (1/2 t. dry)

Apricot-Dijon-Glazed Chicken

8 chicken thighs (coarse salt and freshly ground pepper)
1 jar (12 oz) apricot jam
2 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Rinse chicken thighs, pat dry, and transfer to a baking dish.  Season well with salt and pepper, set aside.
2.  Bring jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half, about 15 minutes.  Spoon apricot mixture over chicken thighs, spreading with back of spoon to coat evenly.
3. Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of dish every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Apricot Rice

2 t. oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 t. each cumin and powderd ginger
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 c. water
1 1/2 c. long grain white rice (we use brown rice)
3/4 c. chopped dried apricots
1/4 c. chopped green onions

Directions:
In saucepan, heat oil.  Add garlic and spices; cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in broth and water; bring to boil.  Stir in rice; cover and cook 15 minutes or until rice is almost tender (brown rice needs longer to cook and you need to add probably an extra cup of water).  Stir in apricots and green onions and cook 5 minutes longer.

Tortellini Soup

Colleen lived in Italy for three years, and this is one of the treasures she fed us when we recently visited.  She also served three yummy appetizers--(1) Bruschette (2) Tomato with whole mozzarella slice and basil, and (3) cantaloupe wrapped with Prosciutto

Tortellini Soup

1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 c. chopped onions
2 garlic cloves
5 c. beef broth
1 c. water
2 c. chopped, seeded tomatoes (I usually use one 14 oz. can of tomatoes)
1 c. thinly sliced carrots
1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini
8 oz. tortellini
1 medium green pepper, if desired (optional)

Brown sausage and remove from pan.  Saute onions and garlic.  Put beef broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, sausage, and onions in large pot.  Boil.  Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Add zucchini, tortellini, and green pepper and simmer covered for 35-40 minutes more until pasta and vegetables are cooked.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, slied
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1/2 to 1 t. curry powder
3 c. vegetable broth
1 15-oz. can pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 T. honey
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Sour cream and chives, optional


In large saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender.  Stir in the flour and the curry powder until blended.  Gradually add the broth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add the pumpkin, milk, honey, salt, pepper and nutmeg; heat through.  Garnish individual servings with sour cream and chives if desired.

Lemon Meringue Bars (makes 12)

http://www.marthastewart.com/264006/lemon-meringue-bars 

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 6 large eggs, plus 4 large egg whites
• 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
   the paddle attachment. Mix on medium
   speed until well blended.
   
2. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Chill in freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
   
3. Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake until filling is set, 18 to
   20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire
   rack. Keep oven at 350.
   
4. Make meringue topping: Put egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
   
5. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 day.
   

http://www.marthastewart.com/264006/lemon-meringue-bars

Creamy Sweet Coleslaw

1 medium cabbage, shredded*
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. sweet pickles (chopped)
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. prepared mustard
1 T. celery seeds
2 T. cider vinegar
1-1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl.  Cover and chill 1 hour. 
*8 cups coleslaw mix, found in the produce section of the supermarket, may be substituted.