Asian Egg Drop Soup

From the Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/asian-egg-drop-soup-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

• 4 cups prepared chicken stock, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 green onions, chopped, including ends
• Salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions

Bring soup stock, grated ginger and soy sauce to a boil. In a small cup, make a slurry by combining the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir until dissolved. Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock, until thickened. Reduce heat to a simmer. Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. The egg will spread and feather. Turn off the heat and add the green onions. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately

Irish Potato Brown Bread

Bread Machine Recipe

1 1/2 Pound Loaf
1 1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons honey

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup instant potato flakes
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons gluten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast


2 Pound Loaf
1 2/3 cups water
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup bread flour
1/3 cup instant potato flakes
2 tablespoon gluten
2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 1 tablespoon bread machine yeast

Instructions
1) Place all the ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer's instructions.  Set crust on medium and program for the Whole Wheat cycle; press Start.  (This recipe is not suitable for use with the Delay Timer).

2) When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack.  Let it cool to room temperature before slicing.

Caramel Shortbread

Get out your kitchen scale for this recipe!  From an British cookbook.

Shortbread
4 oz butter, softened
2 oz sugar
6 oz self-raising flour
Pinch of Salt

Topping
4 oz superfine sugar
4 oz butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup (a must in your kitchen.  Buy it from World Market or from Amazon)
218 gm (7.657 oz) tin condensed milk
100 gm (3.512 oz) bar plain or milk chocolate (I doubled the chocolate)

 Set oven to 325 degrees F.  Well grease and base line an approx. 11 x 7 inches shallow tin.  Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour and salt and knead well.  Put into the tin, spread out and press down evenly with the fingers.  Bake for 30 minutes until pale brown.  Leave in the tin to cool.  Meanwhile, for the topping, put all the ingredients, except the chocolate, into a pan.  Bring to the boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes or more, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and turns pale caramel brown.  When ready, pour over the cooked shortbread and spread out.  When set, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, pour over the caramel and spread out.  When the chocolate has set, cut into squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Peanut Butter Fudge Brownie Trifle

From How Sweet It Is: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/09/peanut-butter-fudge-brownie-trifle/

1 batch of your favorite brownies, boxed or from scratch, cooled and cut into cubes
1 large box (5-ounce) of instant chocolate pudding, prepared and chilled (this will most likely call for 3 cups of milk, nothing else)
1 bag of peanut butter cups, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
8 ounces of whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat heavy cream and sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to an separate bowl and stick in the fridge until ready to use. I did not even clean the bowl of my electric mixer and just began mixing the peanut butter mixture.

Add the peanut butter and cream cheese to the bowl and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides a few times until mixture is creamy. Add in powdered sugar and mix until combined, then mix in 2 tablespoons of milk. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add 1 cup of it to the peanut butter, folding it in until the mixture turns lighter in color and is mostly combined.

Grab your trifle dish and begin to layer your ingredients however you’d like. I did a layer of brownies, then peanut butter, then a handful of chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and so on. I repeated it until I got to the top, then piped the remaining whipped cream on top and sprinkled the candy on. You really can’t go wrong with layering – just use a long spoon to serve!

English Toffee Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or 1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups English toffee bits or 1 1/2 cups almond brickle chips (I used toffee bits)

Frosting Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 -5 tablespoons half-and-half cream or 3 -5 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1.     Cream butter and sugars; add eggs and vanilla.
2.     Combine dry ingredients and mix into butter/sugar mixture.
3.     Stir in toffee bits.
4.     Drop by teaspoon onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
5.     Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until firm (do not brown).
6.     Cool on a rack and make little cookie sandwiches with the frosting.

Frosting Directions:
1.     Cream butter and add sugar and vanilla.
2.     Add milk to reach spreading consistency.

recipe and pic from: http://www.food.com/recipe/toffee-sandwich-cookies-113949#ixzz1yq9q5ZA4

Baked Brie Bites

Recipe and pic from plainchicken.com

mini phyllo cups

brie, cubed

brown sugar

chopped pecans

honey

Preheat oven to 350.

Place a cube of brie in each phyllo tart.  Sprinkle each tart with approximately 1/2 tsp brown sugar.  Top with approximately 1/2 tsp chopped pecans and a dollop of honey.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until brie is melted. (use more or less of each ingredient according to your preference)

Tortilla Chips

Corn Tortillas
Flour Tortillas
Veg Oil or Shortening
Sea Salt to taste


Cut tortillas to make chip size. Fry over stove in hot oil/shortening. Sprinkle sea salt over chips right as they get out of the hot oil. Serve with dips like salsa, guacamole, bean dip, cheese dip, etc.

For sweet chips, fry up the flour tortillas. Sprinkle/coat with cinnamon and sugar in large bowl right as they get out of hot oil. Store in bag. Can serve with vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with cinnamon and some honey to make "Semi-Fried Ice Cream".

Lemon Rice

Lemonade
Rice

In a rice cooker, pour in the desired amount of rice.  Replace water with lemonade and pour in the appropriate amount of juice.  Let the rice cook.  If the rice does not have a strong enough flavor of lemon after it is cooked, add freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.  If desired, add lemon zest too.

Orange Poppy Seed Drops

1 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Softened Butter

2 Eggs

2 1/2 C. Flour

1 T. Orange Juice

1 T. Poppy Seeds

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/2 t. Ground Ginger

2 t. orange peel

FROSTING:

1 C. Powdered Sugar

3-4 t. Orange Juice

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Ginger Orange Marinade

1 C. Orange Juice

1/4 C. Soy Sauce

1/2 C. Diced Ginger Root

1T. Minced Garlic

1/3 C. Cooking Oil

1T. Orange Zest

1/2 C. Sugar

Cut Chicken Breast into thin pieces and marinate for 8 hours.

Feta Salad Caprese

Feta Cheese, Crumbled
Cherry Tomatoes, halfed
Roma Tomatoes, cubed
Grape Tomatoes, halfed if needed
Basalmic Vinegar
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Pesto Sauce
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Put cheese and tomatoes together in bowl. Mix Basalmic Vinegar and EVOO together. Pour on top of salad, and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle pesto sauce over top of salad. Serve and enjoy. (Great with toasted bread).

Japanese Salad

2 cups cooked chicken
2 Tbsp toasted almonds
1/2 head cabbage, shredded (I used a bag of already shredded cabbage)
2 green onions
2 packages Ramen noodles, crushed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Mix together and pour dressing over top.


Dressing
2 Ramen Seasoning packets
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 Tbsp vinegar
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Mix together in container with a tight fitting lid.  Pour over cabbage mixture.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

From the Kitchen of Alesha Whitney

Ingredients

2 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh corn, cooked, cooled and kernels cut off the cob
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots (you'll need one medium shallot)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest the limes before juicing them)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
2 Hass avocados, diced

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a few sprigs of freshly chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Super Moist Low Fat Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 18.25 oz Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix
• 1.4 oz sugar free, fat free, instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 1/3 cups water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

Combine pumpkin puree and water in a large bowl; mix to combine. Add chocolate pudding mix and mix well.

Add chocolate cake mix and beat 2 minutes.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake about 25 - 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.


For the glaze, make your favorite butter cream icing, but add a little more milk to make it a bit more runny. Drizzle the icing on the cupcakes in a random pattern.

Here is my favorite butter cream icing recipe:

1 box powdered sugar
1 cube butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Whip together until frosting consistency. Add more milk to taste.

For chocolate frosting alternative, add 2-3 heaping tbsp powered cocoa to above ingredient list.

South Western Egg and Hash Bake

1 package Frozen French Fries (2 1bs), or Hash Browns, thawed & cut into cubes

10 breakfast sausage links, cooked and cut/chopped small

1/2 (med/large) onion, chopped, lightly sautee'd

2 cups (or more) cheddar cheese, grated

6-8 whole large eggs, beaten/whisked

1 Rotel 10 oz can, Original (optional)

1/2 cup milk

Sea Salt

Pepper

Onion & garlic powder

Basil

Chives

Butter or EVOO or Butter flavor oil spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 qt, 13x9 baking dish. Place the potatoes on bottom of dish.

Sautee' chopped onion in skillet. If sausage is not already cooked, cut up and cook with onions. Crumble the sausage. Drain any fat.

Whisk together eggs and 1/2 milk. Add powdered garlic and onion, salt, pepper, whisk and then pour over potatoes.

Layer with half the cheddar cheese. Spread Rotel evenly over top of potatoes. Then evenly distribute the sausage and rest of cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove cover; return casserole to the oven and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 min. Let stand 5 min before serving.

For added creaminess, make some sunny side up eggs in skillet and place ontop of casserole. When cut into, it should be nice and runny. May also serve with ketchup, some salsa, sour cream & avocados.

Green Smoothie

This smoothie is so customizable. There really is not much to it. Add your choice of fruits, liquids, and optional protein, then put a couple of handfuls of raw spinach into a blender. Blend for about 2 minutes, then pour into a glass and enjoy. It's that easy!


Fruit examples:
Frozen Mixed Berries
Bananas and Strawberries
Mangoes and pineapple
Melons, grapes, and strawberries

Liquid examples:
Milk
Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Water

Protein examples:
Yogurt
Greek Yogurt
Protein Powder
Peanut butter

If you use Mixed Berries in your drink, don't be surprise if your end result looks like this:

It still tastes really good.

Fritatta

1 cup chicken sausage (any flavor) sliced (can use any type sausage you want to.
1/4 cup chopped green onion
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (can use any type cheese)
vegetables: I used spinach, zucchini, mushrooms. You can use any veggies you need to use up or that your family likes.
4 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs, cheese, milk,onion, salt and pepper, and sour cream together in a bowl. Heat the oil in a nonstick, ovenproof skillet. Add the veggies and saute until the veggies are softened a bit and coated with the oil. Reduce the heat to medium, pour in the egg mixture and stir quickly to combine. Cook until the eggs are set around the edges, around 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are set, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Deena Callahan

Sticky Buns

12 Rhoades dinner rolls

½ C. Butter

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 lg. box vanilla pudding-cook and serve

2 T. Milk

1 t. Cinnamon

Mix and heat until butter is melted (Don’t boil). Pour in bottom of 9x13 pan or a bundt pan. Put frozen rolls on top-let rise and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

2012 Monthly Themes

• January - "Breakfast Foods"
• February - "Chocolate"
• March - "Salads"
• April - "Citrus"
• May - "Mexican"
• June - "Tea Party"
• July - "Appetizers"
• August - "Family History Foods"
• September - "Asian"
• October - "Family Favorites (Go-to Meals)"
• November - "Soups and Stews"
• December - "Cookie Exchange"