Scandinavian Spice Cookies

I also made these for the multi-cultural night at David's school.
These are kind of like Oatmeal raisin cookies, but a little crispier (even when I removed them after 12 minutes) and it uses nutmeg - yum. I've seen some with cardamom too, but I didn't have any.

Scandinavian Spice Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Beat in salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until well-blended. Stir in flour, oats, and raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. Remove cookies immediately from sheet. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Norwegian Butter Cookies

We made these last night as part of multi-cultural night at David's school. Since he has Norwegian heritage, I thought the kids might enjoy these. It's a very different ways to make butter cookies. But they are really good. I think they would have been better with some almond flavoring, and authentic as well. Almonds seems to be in a lot of Norwegian baking.

Norwegian Butter Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Hard boil the eggs and separate the yolks. Cream the butter and hard boiled egg yolks. Beat in the sugar and add the flour vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly. Put through a cookie press or arrange by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.

These are great in a cookie press (Spritz) as well.

Mediterranean Couscous and Beans

This comes from my new Betty Crocker Cookbook. I thought it was good, and Aaron said it needed more spice. I would agree. The kids wouldn't eat it. Although Timothy did pick out the raisins and some of the garbanzo beans. Part of that stemmed from the fact that my feta cheese had gone bad and I had to substitute mozzarella. It would have been much better with the feta. If I made this again I would be sure to have fresh feta and play with the spices a little, maybe some garlic, or flavored couscous. It is also VERY fast (as long as you used canned beans- soaked and cooked dry beans).

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups uncooked couscous 1/2 c raisins or currants
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper(cayenne)
1 small tomato, chopped (1/2 c)
1 can (15-16 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c crumbled feta cheese


Heat broth to boiling in 3 qt-saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese; remove from heat.
Cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed; stir gently.
Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Cheese Manicotti with Spinach

When our friends moved to Chicago they gave us all of their opened food they couldn't take with them. I had a half a box of manicotti with only 7 shells, so I had to make this when Aaron wasn't here, or I couldn't feed everyone. I'm out of ground beef at the moment, so this is what I found. I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta, and topped it with Mozzarella instead of more Parmesan. I didn't have any marinara, or spaghetti sauce, so I made the marinara sauce below - with modifications of course. I actually had a picture to go with this, but I can't upload the pictures until Aaron re-installs Nikon View. I'll update it later.

Cheese Manicotti with Spinach

8 manicotti shells
2 cups ricotta cheese
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. parsley
1 egg
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach

1. Cook manicotti shells in boiling, salted water until barely tender (package directions). Rinse with cold water. Drain.
2. Combine cheeses, parsley, egg, onion and salt; mixing well.
3. Fill shells with cheese mixture.
4. Arrange in lightly oiled baking dish.
5. Cover with marinara sauce.
6. Sprinkle with additional 1/4 cup Parmesan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions. DRAIN WELL.
9. Spoon down center of baked manicotti just before serving.
10. Garnish with parsley.

Marinara sauce

1. 1(28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2. 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
3. 1 teaspoon white sugar
4. 1 teaspoon dried parsley
5. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
7. 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
8. 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
9. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Gnocci

This is a dish Aaron learned to make this on his mission in Argentina. (In Italy it's spelled gnocchi - but not in Argentina)
This is his recipe:
potatoes
eggs
flour

Ha! I could never make them! I'll have to ask him when he has time to see if there are more specific directions. i know you mash boiled potatoes and mix 2 eggs and flour, he added some salt this time.

You roll a portion of the dough into a long rope

and then cut them into 1/2 inch segments.

We have a gnocci maker (ours doesn't have a handle, just a hole at the top),

but you can use a fork.

Put the pasta on the fork and quickly roll it down the fork (or gnocci maker) with your thumb. (even though the picture show you can use any finger)

Eventually you boil the fresh pasta in salted water until they float to the top.

I found the pictures here.

Aaron made a white sauce and added garlic salt, sage and salt and pepper. Again no amounts, because this is Aaron's recipe!

Skillet Barbecue Pork Chops

This also comes from my new Betty Crocker Cookbook. I didn't have tomato sauce with onion, celery and green bell peppers, so I chopped up some of my own, sauteed them and added 16 oz of tomato sauce and the remaining ingredients and then added it to the chicken. I thought the sauce was pretty good.

4 pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can (15 oz) chunky tomato sauce with onions, celery and green bell peppers
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard

Spray 12-inch non-stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper. Cook pork in skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until brown.
Stir remaining ingredients into skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is slightly pink when cut near bone.

I forgot to cover it so it took longer, and it wasn't as tender as I expected. I kept wondering why it didn't say to cover it, well I missed that part - oops! So to cook fast and to make it tender, follow the directions and cover the skillet!

Mediterranean Skillet Chicken

I made this last week, but haven't had time to post it. It was really easy and very good. It comes from my new Better Crocker Cookbook. It calls for 4 chicken breasts, but I only used 2 very large ones cut into about 6 chunks each.

2 Tbsp olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 c sliced ripe olives
1 tsp grated lemon peel


Heat oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 6 minutes turning once, until brown.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.

Creamy Corn and Garlic Risotto

This was so easy, fast and delicious! Very cheesy, but no meat. I actually had some fresh parsley that has survived the winter so far (the chives and basil are long gone). I only used 3 cloves of garlic, but I could have used 4 and the kids wouldn't have cared. I used regular long-grain rice and I trusted the recipe when it said to simmer UNCOVERED, and they were right, it does cook the rice, so all was well. I cut back on the Parmesan cheese a little and used 1/2 cup Italian blend cheese instead of plain mozzarella (the Italian blend was almost gone and I didn't want to open a new bag of mozzarella).

3 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked Arborio or regular medium grain white rice
3 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat 1/3 cup of the broth to boiling in 10 inch skillet. Cook garlic in broth 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice and frozen corn. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Stir in remaining broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and creamy; remove from heat.

Stir in cheese and parsley.

From Better Crocker's Quick & Easy cookbook.

Cream Cheese Brownies

I made this for refreshments at book club (that I hosted last night - nothing gets your house cleaner than having company!). They were really good, and the frosting was over the top, so I let people choose whether or not to put it on. My brownie box mix was too small (18.6 oz) and really thick (it only called for one egg), so it wouldn't fill in a 9x13. I had to use a 9x9 pan and bake it for 45 minutes. It was still really gooey, but sooooo good! I also forgot to add the flour to the cream cheese filling, but it turned out okay, the batter was just really thin. I also used vanilla extract NOT orange extract- that might have been a little too many competing flavors. There was extra frosting (since I used the smaller pan) and I tasted it alone - so decadent- like truffle filling!

Cream Cheese Brownies

What they looked like w/out the frosting

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
• 1/2 cup vanilla or white chips
• FILLING:
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• FROSTING:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. Prepare brownies according to package directions for cake-like brownies; fold in vanilla chips. Spread half of the batter in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, flour and orange extract.
2. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over batter. Drop remaining brownie batter by tablespoonfuls over cream cheese layer. cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.
3. For frosting, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate. Cool slightly; stir in confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost brownies.

Pasta and Bean Skillet

This recipe comes from my new Betty Crocker recipe book (30 minutes or less). It was very easy.

1 cup salsa
2/3 c. uncooked elbow macaroni (I used 1 cup)
3/4 c. water (I used 1 cup)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 can (15 or 16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat all ingredients except cheese to boiling in 10 inch skillet; reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is just tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

It's that simple

Angel Food Cake

I made my first Angel Food Cake from scratch last night. It was Aaron's request, since I was looking for something to make in my new tube pan. The recipe comes from the Better Homes and Garden Cook book. It takes a bit of prep, but it's so good!

1 1/2 cups eggs whites (10-12 large eggs)
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar

In am extra-large mixing bowl (they aren't kidding) allow egg white to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile sift powdered sugar and flour together 3 times.
Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar about 2 tablespoons at a time.
Sift about one-fourth of the dry-mixture over beaten egg whites, fold in gently. Repeat, folding in remaining dry mixture by fourths. Pour in ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter to remove any large air pockets.
Bake on the lowest rack in a 350 F oven for 40 -45 minutes or till top springs back when touched. immediately invert cake and let cool completely (about 2 hours). Loosen sides of cake pan, remove cake.

A few notes: I thought I had messed it up when I got it to stiff peaks with out the sugar, but it turned out fine. I only had one bad air pocket on the bottom (the top when you turn it over). Not bad for my first time.

Chicken Nuggets

This recipe came from our HP ward cooking group. Audra C* brought this recipe. It is so good!
Aaron made it last night for us. He just used the fry daddy though, and scaled it down since we only had one chicken breast left.

Chicken Nuggets
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¾ c. milk
1 c. vegetable oil (for frying)

Cut chicken into ½ x 2 inch strips (I do them shorter). Mix flour, salt, and pepper in shallow bowl. Dip chicken in milk, roll in flour mixture to coat well, and place chicken on waxed paper.
Pour ¼” oil into a large heavy skillet. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Divide chicken into batches. Place chicken in an even layer in hot oil. Fry turning once for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towels. Serve with honey, barbecues sauce, or whatever you like.

Alfredo sauce

I can't get any of my Alfredo sauces to taste like they do in the restaurants or in the jar, but this is the best one I have that doesn't use heavy cream. It comes from the HP ward Cookbook. Submitted by Angela R* I reduced it to fit our needs, and how much cream cheese I had. I also added a dash of sage, because I think it tastes good.

8 oz cream cheese
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
garlic or garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Heat on low until cheese is melted and ingredients are mixed. Serve over noodles.