Bizcochos (Mexican Christmas Cookie)

1 pound lard (Morrel is best) Can also use Crisco Shorting if you desire!
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
6 cups flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons anise (liquid)

Topping:
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream lard and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and anise and mix well. Then combine all dry ingredients and add to creamed ingredients. Mixing by hand is best.

Dough should be soft enough to roll out. Add a little bit of water or red wine if dough is too dry. Separate dough into four balls for easier handling. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about ¼ inch in thickness. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter (easiest), cut into diamonds by slicing vertically in 1 inch lines then diagonally. Reuse excess dough.

Bake at 350 on a cookie sheet for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheet and place in sugar and cinnamon mixture and toss by hand until well coated right away. This way mixture will stick to cookies.

 

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1 Graham cracker crust
1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Remove 1 cup batter; place in medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spices.

Layer plain and pumpkin batters into crust. Bake at 325 for 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours. Serve topped with Cool Whip.

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

2 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
2 cups water 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 medium stalks celery, cut into thin 1-inch strips
1 cup grated carrots
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup red pepper sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 oz)
Oil for deep frying
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
12 egg roll skins (from 1-lb package)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
Fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, if desired

In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth and water to boiling; add chicken. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut at least 165°F). Remove chicken to large bowl; set aside to cool. Discard poaching liquid.
In 10-inch skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrots and salt; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Shred chicken with 2 forks. Add sautéed vegetables, onions, pepper sauce, butter and blue cheese; mix well.

Meanwhile, sprinkle work surface with flour. Place 1 egg roll skin on work surface with 1 corner facing you. (Cover remaining skins with damp paper towel to prevent drying out.) Place about 2 rounded tablespoons chicken mixture slightly below center of egg roll skin. Fold corner of egg roll skin closest to filling over filling, tucking point under. Fold in and overlap right and left corners. Brush remaining corner with beaten egg; gently roll egg roll toward remaining corner and press to seal. (Cover filled egg roll with damp paper towel.) Repeat with remaining egg roll skins and chicken mixture.
Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, in hot oil 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place egg rolls on parsley-lined serving platter. Serve with blue cheese dressing.

Grandma's Banana Nut Bread

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice.

Heat oven to 350
Grease bottom only of loaf pan. 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 x 2 ½ or 9x5x3 inches.

Mix sugar and margarine in 2 ½ quart bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water: beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened; stir in nuts. Pour into pan.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 8-inch loaf, 1 hour 15 minutes, 9-inch loaf, 55 to 60 minutes; cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan: remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing. 1 loaf (24 slices); 120 calories per slice.

Note: Use very ripe bananas, but not black ones!

Olive Garden Bruschetta

3 firm roma tomatoes, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons diced marinated sun-dried tomatoes
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 to 10 slices ciabatta bread (or Italian bread)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
pinch dried parsley flakes

Toss diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.

When you are ready to serve the dish, preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine Parmesan cheese with dried parsley in a small bowl. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a couple pinches of the Parmesan cheese mixture over each bread slice. Bake for 5 minutes or until the bread starts to crisp.

Pour tomato mixture into a serving dish (strain off the liquid), and serve it up alongside the toasted bread slices.

Serves 4

Raspberry Cheesecake Cookie

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt plus an extra 1/8 tsp
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup lightly salted macadamia nuts, barely chopped
4-5 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks
1/2 cup (more or less) fresh raspberries , washed and dried

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Cream butter and both sugars with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, vanilla and cream, then beat in baking soda, salt and cornstarch. Add flour and stir just until blended. Stir in nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheets.

3. Carefully slice raspberries into halves or quarters – this will vary, depending on how much raspberry you want in your cookies and how large your raspberries are. Gently press pieces of raspberry in cookie dough rounds.

4. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 2 dozen

Spinach and Feta Pizza

Store bought pizza crust
1/2 cup light Alfredo sauce
2 tablespoons crumbled Feta cheese
1 cup fresh spinach
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 450 degrees

Sauté onions with the butter over medium heat until tender. Steam your spinach until they shrink down. Spread Alfredo sauce over the crust. Evenly distribute spinach and onions over the pizza. Top with the Feta and mozzarella cheeses and bake for 8 minutes.

Deep Fried Mushrooms

Mushrooms
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
¼ cup beer
Salt to taste
Flour
Cracker crumbs, ground fine

Mix eggs, beer, milk and salt. Dip and roll mushrooms in egg mixture. Roll in
crumbs. Deep fry until brown and crusty.

Confetti Dip

1 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
4 teaspoons dry ranch-style salad dressing mix
1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped zucchini

Combine sour cream and dressing mix in medium bowl; mix well. Stir in chopped vegetables; cover. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours for flavors to blend.

Transfer dip to medium serving bowl. Serve with assorted fresh vegetable dippers or pita chips.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken:
1 lb skinless, boneless breast halves, cubed
1/3 cup oil (olive or vegetable)
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp onion salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Filling:
1 cup sliced carrots
½ cup sliced celery
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup frozen peas or broccoli
1 can cream of chicken, condensed
½ tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 can (14oz) chicken broth

Crust:
Use frozen/refrigerated pie crust (top & bottom)

Preheat oven to 350◦ F

Chicken:
In a skillet, place oil, garlic, onion salt, black pepper and chicken. Cook on medium to high heat until cooked through. Drain and leave in strainer for future use.

Filling:
Using skillet from chicken add carrots, celery and onion, Pour in enough broth to cover the vegetables and set rest aside. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Mix in chicken, peas or broccoli, soup and seasonings. Add left over broth until desired consistency is reached. Grease 9”x9” dish lay down bottom crust, fill and place crust on top. Brush with egg whites or butter, slit with knife and bake for 30-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool 10 minutes before serving.