Lemon Icebox Cookies

These are nice and light..perfect with some fresh fruit or a nice cup of tea.  I found them on a lemon link on Martha Stewart's pinterest page.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, salt, and lemon zest until combined. Add butter and process until sandy. Add egg yolks and lemon juice; pulse until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and form each into a 1 1/2-inch-wide log. Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm, about 2 hours (or up to 1 month).
   
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Spread granulated sugar on a piece of parchment; roll logs over sugar to coat. Slice logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
   

Italian Easter Bread

I have some beautiful green and blue eggs from my chickens..perfect to use for Easter.  When I saw this recipe for Easter bread I knew I had found a perfect match for my eggs.  You do not need to hard boil the eggs before using them in this bread as they will cook in the oven as the bread bakes.

 1 package yeast, about 2-1/4 teaspoons
1.1/4 cups milk
pinch of salt
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
3-4 1/2 cups flour (approximate)
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
6 dyed  eggs
1 undyed egg
sprinkles or sugar

Heat the butter and milk together in a saucepan just until the butter melts.  In a large bowl combine the salt, yeast and sugar.  When the milk is just warm..not hot..add to the yeast and whisk well.  Whisk in 2 eggs and then 2 c. flour.  Stir in  at least 1 more cup of flour..or enough that the dough is not longer sticky.  Knead for 5 minutes.  Put in a large buttered bowl, place in a warm spot and allow to rise for one hour.  It will look like this after rising:

Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a rope about 14" long like this:

Twist two ropes together and form in a circle.  Place on a cooky sheet covered in parchment paper or silipat.  It should look like this:

Let rise for one hour.
Take the one undyed egg and  whisk with 1 T. water.  Brush over your bread "nests".  Place an egg in the center.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil French Bread

Today my family left to go back to Oregon.  I must admit my heart is sad.  It is hard to live away from the family I love.  I really wish my daughter and her family lived close enough to be a regular part of our lives.   So this afternoon I have time off and a way too quiet and empty house.  One of the things I like to do when it is a hard day is make bread.  So today, after having a good cry, this is the recipe I chose to make.  It is an easy recipe and a good one to try if you have never made bread before.  You just need to allow time for the bread to raise.

1 pkg. yeast (or  1 T.)
1 1/4 c. warm water
1 T. dried basil
2 t. olive oil
1 1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. sun dried tomatoes
4 c. flour (all purpose or bread flour)

In a large bowl, pour the water.  Whisk in yeast, salt, basil, olive oil and salt.  Whisk well.  Stir in sun dried tomatoes.  Stir about 3 cup of the flour gradually into the yeast mixture.  Add enough flour that the dough is no longer sticky and begins to form a ball.  Place on a floured surface and knead until smooth...about 3 minutes.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a buttered large bowl.  Let rise in a warm place to rise for one hour.
Divide dough in half.  For each loaf, shape the dough into a long loaf.  Place onto a greased baking sheet.  Allow to rise again for 30-45 minutes.
Before baking take a very sharp knive and cut a 3/4" deep slash through the dough about every 2".
Bake at 425 for 18 minutes.

OK Sugar Cookies

Sometimes the best things are surprises.  This weekend while I was working out in my garden my dogs starting barking and when I turned to see what was going on....well,,,there stood my daughter and grand daughter and son in law.  They had spring break this week and drove 6 hours up to my house to surprise me with a visit.  Life is good.  I love having my family close to me.  I can never get enough time with my grand daughter.  She is the sweetest thing ever,  So today, in celebration of my wonderful surprise I am sharing a sugar cooky recipe that is a family recipe.  These cookies are unlike any other sugar cooky I have ever have.  They are thick and cakey.  Frosted they are quite wonderful.  Make them in the shapes of eggs, bunnies and chicks for easter.  Give them to the ones you love.  They will smile!

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
Cream these well together on medium speed with your mixer.  Then
(This is the weird part)
Mix 1 c. milk (cold) with 1 t. baking soda
In another bowl mix 3 c. flour and 3 t. baking powder
 Alternately, mix flour and milk mixtures into the creamed egg/sugar mix.  Add
1 t. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. almond
1 T. lemon zest
Add enough flour to make the dough thick and no longer sticky (about 3 more cups).  Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Roll out on a floured surface. Cut into shapes and place on greased cooky sheet,  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Cool, frost and decorate.

Chicken and Noodle Comfort in a Pan

This is a recipe that I tweaked just a bit.  It is very mild, creamy and just perfect when you want a bowl of comfort food.

2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 t. garlic
3 c. sliced mushrooms
1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. milk, half and half, or milk
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 t. thyme
1 t. basil
1 T. cooking sherry
2 T. flour
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 c. cooked egg noodles
1/3 c. fresh chopped parsley
Melt butter in a large skillet.  Add mushrooms and garlic and saute for 4 minutes.  Add milk, flour, chicken broth, sherry and spices.  Whisk well.  Then whisk in cheese and sour cream.  Stir in egg noodles and serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.

Lentil Sausage Soup

The wind is howling today on the island and we have had hail and rain.  It is the perfect evening for a nice warm bowl of soup.  Today's recipe cooks up quickly..in less than an hour.  Lentils are inexpensive, and provide a great source of fiber.  Serve the soup with some warm bread or a salad.  Perfect to warm you up!

2 c. dried lentils
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onon
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
32 oz. chicken stock
1 c. chopped carrot
1 smoked sausage, diced.
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 t. dried thyme
Put all ingredients in a large soup pan.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Olive Garden Chicken Giardino

Tonight when my sweetheart walks in the door after work for dinner...well. the house is just going to smell amazing.  Like rosemary and lemon and thyme...and chicken.  Mmmmm.  This is a recipe I have tried several times on those copycat recipe sites, and frankly, I have never been happy with the rsults.  But now Olive Garden has finally posted the recipe on their site...so here my friends is the real meal.  And let me tell you, it smells delicious, it tastes delicious, and well it just outright is delicous.  This recipe has a few steps and takes a little time..but none of the steps are difficult.  Just take some time and cook it up.  Serve it with a salad or some french bread and wine....oh la la what a dinner.

Chicken:
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/4 c. olive oil
2 small sprigs rosemary, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Combine all these ingredients.  Put in refrigerator and marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Sauce:
In a small saucepan melt 1 T. butter.  Then add in
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. white wine
1 t. lemon juice
1 T. cornstarch
Mix well.  Bring to a boil for one minute.  Remove from heat.

Cook 1# farfalle pasta until just tender.  Drain and keep hot.

In a large saucepan heat 1/4 c. olive oil
Add in
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 zucchinic, slicd
1 yellow sauash, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 c. spinach
1/2 red pepper, cut into strips
1 c. broccoli
1/2 c. froaen peas

Saute until tender.  Add in chicken and cook til no longer pink.  Stir in sauce and pasta.  Heatl.
Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

Banana Yum Cake

This is a recipe out of Paula Deen's autobiography.  I used the recipe but added a t. of vanilla..just because I like the taste vanilla adds to any baked good.  It is time for me to make another birthday treat at work...hopefully the ladies will enjoy this.

2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. softened butter
2/3 c. buttermilk
3-4 mashed bananas
2 eggs

Spray a 13 x 9 or 2 9" baking pans with cooking spray.
Sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Add the  butter, buttermilk, bananas, eggs and vanilla.  Beat 2-3 minutes.  Pour into baking pans.
If baking in 9" pans bake for 25 minutes.
For a 13  x 9 pan bake for

Frosting:
1-8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
1# confectioner's sugar
1 t. vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter well, until no lumps remain.  Add vanilla and the slowly add powdered sugar.

Mulligatawnski Soup

A nice southern Indian soup with curried chicken, apples and quinoa.  Only 229 calories per serving!
Another great recipe from the Looneyspoons cookbook.  I have included a picture of the cookbook here with the soup.

1 T. olive oil
1 c. each of chopped celery, onion and carrot
1 t. minced garlic
1# chopped boneless chicken breast
1 T. minced fresh ginger
2 t. curry powder
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t, cumin
a pinch of ground cloves
4 c. chicken broth
1 can (14 oz.) can tomatoes, drained
1/2 c. quinoa
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 can coconut milk
3 T. minced parsley or cilantro

Heat olive oil in a large soup pan.  Add celery, garlic, carrot and garlic.  Saute for 5-6 minutes.  Stir in chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink.  Add all spices, tomatoes, broth and quinoa.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Turn to love and stir in apple and coconut milk.  Cook until apple is tender but not mushy.  Sprinkle on cilantro or parsley and serve.

Tofu Spinach Lasagna

A nice classic meal without the meat.  If you have never had tofu, this is a good recipe to try it out in.
The tofu is mixed with ricotta, and takes on the taste of the ricotta filling.  This is a delicious alternative to lasagna with meat sauce.

9 lasagna noodles
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. chopped mushrooms (leave out if you are not a mushroom lover)
1 pkg. firm tofu
1 carton part skim ricotta (15 oz.)
1/2 c. parsley
1 pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 c. marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
1 c. parmesan cheese

Cook noodles until al dente, 10-12 minutes.  Drain.
Drain the tofu, reserving 3-4 T. liquid.  Put 2 T. of the liquid and the tofu in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Add additional liquid if needed to process.  Put tofu in a large bowl and add in the ricotta cheese.  Mix until smooth.  Mix in the spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and 1/2 c. parmesan cheese.
Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.
Spread 1/2 c. marinara on the bottom of the pan.
Put 3 noodles on top of the sauce, covering the bottom of the pan.  Spread 1/2 of the tofu mixture over the noodles.   Sprinkle with 1/4 c. mozzarella cheese.  Put three more noodles on top of the cheese.  Spread the remainder of the tofu mixture on these noodles.  Top with more marinara-enough to cover the tofu.  Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese.  Cover with the remaining 3 noodles, then the sauce, the remainder of mozzarella cheese and the remaining 1/2 c. parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

If you like chicken pot pie, you will definitely like this soup.  It is sort of like all the yummy filling without any crust.  Great on a cold rainy day.

1# chicken breasts or thighs, diced
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrots
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen corn
1 t. thyme
4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. flour
1 c. milk
1 T. olive oil
2 T. butter

Melt butter with oil in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Add chicken and cook until almost done-just a little pink left.  Add celery, carrots, and onion.  Cook for about 5-6 minutes.  Add in peas  and corn.  Cook until defrosted.  Add chicken broth, flour and milk.  Heat for about 30 minutes.

Chicken and Rice Cass

This happens to be one of my sweetheart's favorite dinners.  It is made with simple ingredients and has easy prep.  He can even make this one!  When I know he is going to have a rough day, this meal never fails to cheer him up as he comes through the door.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6 tenders
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c. water
2 T. sherry (optional)
1 c. white rice, uncooked
paprika

In a 8 x 8 cooking dish pour water, soup, sherry and rice.  Mix well.  Set chicken pieces on top.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Cover and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. 

That's it! 

Lisa's Chicken Casserole

A coworker, Lisa, shared this recipe with me a few years ago.  It is a good recipe for those nights you just want to throw something together that tastes good, doesn't require much work, and uses ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard.  Lisa's original recipe was even simplier than this one..and I note the changes I made.  Either way, it is good food in a hurry.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
2 c. frozen broccoli, defrosted
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c, sour cream
2 c. cheese garlic croutons
1 c. grated cheese (I used Parmesan)
to this original recipe I added:
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 T.sherry

Put chicken into a 8 x 8 baking dish.  Top with broccoli, mushrooms and onion.  Mix together the cream of mushroom soup. sour cream and sherry.  Pour over food in casserole diah.  Top with cheese.
Bakeat 350 for 45 minutes.

Mushroom, spinach and herb fritatta

Since we purchased chickens and they have started laying, we always seem to have an abundance of eggs in the house.  In the past two days I have brought in 10 eggs from the coup.  Now how can 2 people eat up some of those eggs?  So once a week we have started having some type of breakfast for dinner...usually a quiche.  Today I thought I would try a frittata.  This one skips the step of putting the pan in the oven to bake and finish off the eggs.  The herbs smell delicious as it is cooking up.  I served it with some bacon and a fruit cup I made from all the frozen fruit in my freezer.

2 t. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 t. minced garlic
1# sliced mushrooms
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried thyme
2 c. fresh spinach leaves
8 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet.  Add mushrooms, garlic, and onion.  Cook for 7 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until wilted.  Beat eggs and pour over mushroom mixture in pan.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on medium to low for 12 minutes.  Slice and serve.

Blueberry Coffeecake

I promised I would report back on trying the Paula Deen blueberry muffin recipe as a coffeecake.
Well, I tried it and it was delicious.  And so easy too! Here is a picture of the result:

Make some up today for someone you love!

2 c. flour
2 T. baking powder
1/2 c. sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. blueberries
brown sugar to spoon on top ( about 1/2 c.)

Mix flour, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl.  In another bowl mix butter, egg and milk.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.  Stir in blueberries.
Spread into a buttered 8 x 8 baking pan. 
After 15 minutes sprinkle with brown sugar and return to oven.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. 

Maple Orange Pork Chops with Maple Squash Puree

Pork chops and squash seem like fall food to me.  But I just happen to have a bag of peeled and cubed butternut squash that I need to use in my refrigerator.  And squash and pork are duo made in heaven.  This recipe is one you can cook quickly for a great and easy dinner after work.  Use some nice lean chops and you have a great healthy dinner.  I served this with some steamed fresh green beans.

2 T. maple syrup
2 T. orange juice
1/2 t. thyme
Mix together to use as a baste on the pork chops.

2-4 lean pork chops
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper
Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.  Place oil in a saucepan, turn heat on medium high.  Place pork chops in pan.  Baste with maple syrup mixture.  Cook chops for 4-6 minutes per side, basting both sides.

Maple squash puree
1 pkg, peeled and diced butternut squash
2 c. water
Boil squash in water for 10 minutes or until tender.  Drain.  Mash and add in:
2 T. maple syrup
1 T. butter
salt to taste