Christmas Shortbread Buttons

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour and extract. Divide the dough into two halves. Tint each half with a different color (I used red and green, obviously).  On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter. I have a set of 12 round cookie cutters. See below.

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the non-cutting edge of the 7/8 inch cookie cutter to press an indention into each cookie.

Then use an icing nail (rose nail?) to poke the four holes in the middle of each button.

You can also use a toothpick for the holes in the middle. Bake in 350 degree oven for 7-8 minutes. If baked too long, they will brown and taste strange.

Remove from cookies sheet and cool completely on wire rack. Enjoy!
Recipe from the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook. :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup softened butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I use sweet)
granulated sugar for coating

Beat brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg together. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in 1 cup sweet chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1 1/4 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar until coated. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 375*. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet, and remove to cooling rack. Makes about three dozen.

Massaman Chicken Curry

•1/2 to 1 pound chicken pieces OR chopped chicken breast/thigh
•1-2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks

•1 14 ounce (400 ml) can coconut milk (not lite)

•1 small red pepper, thinly sliced

•1 medium tomato, sliced

•2 Tbsp. coconut oil OR vegetable oil

•1/3 cup onion, sliced

•1 thumb-piece ginger, grated

•4-5 cloves garlic

•1 red chili, sliced, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. chili flakes/cayenne pepper

•1/2 cup good-tasting chicken stock

•1 stalk lemongrass, minced, OR 2-3 Tbsp. frozen/bottled prepared lemongrass

•3 bay leaves

•1 tsp. turmeric

•1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews (+ handful more to finish)

•1 tsp. ground coriander

•1 tsp. whole cumin seed

•1/2 tsp. white pepper

•1/8 tsp. cardamon

•1 tsp. tamarind, or substitute 1 Tbsp. lime juice*

•3/4 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores)

•2 Tbsp. fish sauce

•1 Tbsp. palm sugar OR brown sugar

1.Heat a wok, large frying pan, or soup-type pot over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the oil and swirl around, then add the onion, ginger, garlic, and chili. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes to release the fragrance.

2.Add the stock plus the following: lemongrass, bay leaves, turmeric, chopped cashews, ground coriander, whole cumin seed, white pepper, cardamon, tamarind (or lime juice), shrimp paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir with each addition and bring to a light boil.

3.Add the chicken, stirring to coat with the spicy liquid, then add the coconut milk and potatoes. Stir and bring back up to a boil. Reduce heat to low, or just until you get a good simmer.

4.Simmer 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken and potatoes are tender. Add red pepper and tomato during last 10-15 minutes of coooking time. Tip: if you prefer a more liquid curry sauce, cover while simmering. If you prefer a thicker curry sauce, leave off lid.

5.Taste-test the curry, adding more fish sauce for increased flavor/saltiness, or more chili if you want it spicier. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet for your taste, add a touch more tamarind or lime juice. If too spicy, add more coconut milk.

6.Add a handful more cashews and fold in. Transfer to a serving bowl, or plate up on individual plates or bowls. Top with fresh coriander, if desired, and serve with Thai jasmine rice. ENJOY!

*Tamarind Substitution Tip: Tamarind paste can be tricky to find, hence I have offered a substitute here. Yes, lime and tamarind are two very different fruits; however, they provide that same sourness you're looking for in this curry (it is balanced out with the palm sugar or brown sugar).

Chicken in Curry Coconut Sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or fillets
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala (or 1/8 tsp. ground cloves)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup canned, undrained diced tomatoes (I left these out and it was fine! I hate tomatoes...)
2 Tbsp. unsweetend coconut milk
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup frozen peas
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut milk

In a 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove the chicken and reserve the drippings.

For sauce: Stir curry powder and garam masala into the pan drippings. Cook and stir one minute. Add onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until onion is tender but not brown. Add chicken broth, whipping cream and 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for three minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk and the cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture into curry mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir two more minutes.

Return chicken to the coconut sauce and coat with sauce. Return to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5-6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken once. Sprinkle peas over chicken, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand five minutes.

Mix the tablespoon of coconut milk into the rice. Serve chicken and sauce over the rice. Serves 4-6, depending on how much you eat!

Beth's Bread

This recipe comes from a mother of ten children. She is amazing!  Unfortunately, she passed away several years ago from cancer. Her spirit lives on and so does her delicious bread! Thank you, Beth!

Combine in a mixing bowl:
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 1/2 Tbsp. yeast

Warm together in a pan or microwave until warm, but not too hot:
1 3/4 cups water
3 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup honey

Add the hot liquid to the bowl containing white flour and yeast. Using dough hooks on a mixer (or I mix by hand!) mix in:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Continue mixing by hand and add:
1 1/4 cups white flour

Knead five minutes. Divide into two equal portions. Place in greased loaf pans and let rise 20-25 minutes in the oven on warm setting. Then increase heat to 350* and bake for 25 minutes. You may brush the tops with butter if you like. Makes 2 loaves.
I substitued 1/2 cup of ground flax seed for 1/2 cup of the white flour at the end and it gave it a yummy flavor! Enjoy!

Sara's Vanilla Wafers

I stole this recipe from Sara's recipe blog!  Hehehehehehe...

1/2 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat. Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls two inches apart onto undreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350* for 12 minutes, or until edges begin to turn brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

Sara's Vanilla Pudding

I just stole this recipe from my friend Sara's blog!  It was so yummy!

Mix in a saucepan:
2/3 cups sugar
dash of salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. flour

Gradually stir in:
2 cups milk (1%-whole)
1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring contstantly--and I mean constantly! Mixture will thicken. Boil one minute; remove from heat.

Slowly stir half of the mixture into 3 beaten egg yolks in a separate bowl. Then pour egg mixture back into the pan and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Blend in:
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter
Cool. Serve with vanilla wafers. :)

Kale Salad

4-6 cups of kale, washed and ripped into bite sized pieces
juice of one lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
crushed red pepper (about 1/2 tsp.)
pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)
1/4 cup bread crumbs (I toasted 2 pieces of small bread in the oven and blended them in my blender)
2/3 cups Asiago, Tuscano (sp?) or parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Place kale in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper. Pour over kale and toss. Toss in cheese. Toss in bread crumbs.

Kale can be purchased at Sprouts or other health food/farmers' market type stores.

I got this recipe from my friend Allison! :)

Sesame Chicken with Orange Ginger Sauce

3 cups cooked rice

Chicken:
6 boneless chicken breasts (I use fillets because they cook faster)
3/4 cups sesame seeds
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Dip chicken in sesame seeds to coat. Season with salt. Saute chicken in oil until light golden brown. Place chicken in a baking pan and finish baking for 20-30 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces) at 350*.

Sauce:
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. peeled and finely chopped ginger root
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cups orange marmalade
1/2 cup water or orange juice
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce

Saute the ginger root and garlic in a saucepan with oil for three minutes. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir on low heat until bubbly. Serve over chicken with some rice. Serves six.

Graham Crackers

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I grind my own)
1 1/2 cups graham flour (I used about 1/2 cup white flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 wheat germ)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, softened (1 and 1/2 stick)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add honey, egg and vanilla. Beat until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface. Cut out shapes. (I used mini animal cutters, or you can cut them into 2" X 2" squares with a pastry cutter and poke with a fork.) Place on baking paper lined baking pans. Bake at 350* for 7-8 minutes for small cookies or 10-12 minutes for 2" cookies. Cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. Eat straight, serve with milk, or make s'mores out of them!

Veggie Quiche

Crust: Use the same crust as the mini asparagus quiche recipe from April of this year. Spray pie plate with cooking oil spray. I also roll my pie crusts out on baking paper; then I fold the crust into quarters, using the baking paper it's on. It makes it easier to transport the crust to the pie plate. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375*.

Filling:
4 cups finely chopped veggies (I used asparagus, broccoli and zucchini.)
1 Tbsp. dried onion

5 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix dried onions with the veggies.  Place veggie mix into the cooled pie shell. Mix salt and pepper into the eggs, beating swiftly. Pour egg mixture over the veggies. Put parmesan cheese on top. Top off with cheddar. Bake at 375* for about 40 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Serves 6.

Asparagus Mini Quiches

Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour
6 Tbsp. cold butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 Tbsp. water


With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until crumbly. Add cheese and water. Mix with fork until soft dough forms and is able to be rolled out onto a floured surface. After dough is rolled out to 1/4 inch thick, cut large circles out of the dough that will fit into your greased tins. (I used a 4 inch diameter cutter for my 3 inch diameter tins.) Pat dough into greased tins. (Mine made 12 quiches.) Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes.

Filling:
1/4 pound asparagus, blanched (boiled for a minute or so) and cut into pieces 1/2 inch in size (I used asparagus that had been blanched and then frozen.)
About 2 tsp. chopped dried onions

3 eggs
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place asparagus pieces into the bottom of the cooked crusts. Put a pinch of dried onion into each crust. Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Pour about a tablespoon or more of the egg mixture into each crust. Put a heaping teaspoon of each of the cheeses into each crust. Bake at 375* for 16 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of a quiche. Makes 12 quiches if using 2 inch diameter tins.  May be modified for larger or smaller quiche tins. Enjoy!!

Chicken Strips Milano

12 oz. linguine
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
4 1/2 tsp + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
3/4 tsp. pepper, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips

Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute garlic in 4 1/2 tsp. of oil in a skillet for 1 minute or until tender. Stir in parsley and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.
Combine flour, basil, salt and remaining pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Whisk eggs in another shallow bowl. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture and then in the eggs.
Cook chicken in the remaining 4 Tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet for 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink.
Drain the linguine and place on a serving platter. Stir in the garlic mixture over the linguine and toss to coat. Top with chicken. Serves 6.