Party Food: Hot dates

 

 

 

Hot Dates

 

 

Ingredients

• 16 dates, pitted
• 3 Cheddar cheese snack sticks, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 16 whole almonds
• 8 slices bacon, cut in 1/2

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Soak 1/6 toothpicks in water for about 15 minutes.
Slice open dates, and stuff each with a cube of Cheddar cheese and 1 almond. Wrap each date with a bacon slice, and secure with a toothpick.

Place wrapped dates on a baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven, turning once, until bacon is evenly browned.

 

Party Food: Prosciutto Wrapped Figs And Blue Cheese

 

Italians DO eat better!!!

 

 

 

 

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs And Blue Cheese

 

Ingredients

• 8 Black Mission figs
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, cut into cubes
• 8 prosciutto (thinly sliced, cut in half lengthwise)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat grill. You will need medium to high heat for grilling. The key is to crisp the prosciutto quickly and leave the blue cheese just melted with the inner part of the fig cool in temperature.

Cut the figs in half and place a piece of blue cheese on each fig half. Wrap the prosciutto around each fig half, covering the cheese. The ends of the prosciutto should overlap.
Grill each piece until the prosciutto begins to color and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve warm.


another version:

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Blue Cheese and Honey

Ingredients
3 tablespoons Port or other sweet wine
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
9 ripe fresh figs cut in half lengthwise
12 thin slices Prosciutto
1 cup crumbled fresh blue cheese
2 tablespoons honey for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Pour the Port into a glass pie pan. Place all of the figs, cut side down into the Port and let marinate for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the pepper on a saucer. Dip the figs into the pepper and place them, cut side up on a baking sheet.
Cut 9 slices of the Prosciutto lengthwise in half. Loosely wrap each fig half with a strip of Prosciutto. Cut the remaining Prosciutto into thin strips and then cut the strips into 2 inch pieces. In a small pan, sauté the strips until they are crisp. Drain and reserve. Place blue cheese crumbles and fried Prosciutto strips on each fig.
Place the baking pan under the broiler and cook until the edges of the prosciutto are beginning to brown and the cheese is melting and bubbling. Remove from the oven and transfer the figs to a platter. Drizzle the honey over and serve.

May your new year be delicious!!! Doug and June

New Year's Recipes- Braciole, Rabe, Holiday Salad

 

 

Italians DO eat better!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Braciole

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce

Directions

Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.
Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve.
 

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.
• Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.
• Yield: 6 cups
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

serve with:

some fresh cooked angel hair pasta

 

Sangiovese

Bright, fruity Italian red wine

 

side dishes:

 

 

 

Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

 

Ingredients

• 4 bunches (12 to 16 ounces each) broccoli rabe (rapini), stems trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup raisins
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Directions

Working in batches, cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 1 minute per bunch. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Strain the cooled broccoli rabe and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the broccoli rabe and toss to coat. Add the reserved cooking water, the raisins, and cook until the broccoli rabe is heated through and the stems are tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt, to taste. Just before serving, toss the mixture with the pine nuts

(I love pine nuts!!!!!)

Blanching in the boiling water takes all of the bitterness out of the rapini.

Very impressive and not too much work!

 

Holiday Salad..

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces goat cheese, cut crosswise into 6 slices
• 6 thin slices prosciutto
• 1 large head radicchio, rinsed, patted dry and torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 bunch arugula or watercress, rinsed, patted dry and cut int bite sized pieces
• 6 large leaves Bibb lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 head Belgian endive, stem removed and cut crosswise into thin shreds
• Pomegranate seeds, as garnish

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the pomegranate juice and orange zest, vinegar, shallots, salt, pepper and mustard and whisks thoroughly to combine. Add the oil in a steady stream and whisk until emulsified. Fold the segmented oranges and sliced onions into 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss to combine and set aside.

Wrap each slice of goat cheese in a slice of prosciutto. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the wrapped cheeses and sear on both sides. Remove from the heat.

In a large salad bowl, combine the greens. Add the marinated orange sections and onion slices, and toss gently with enough extra dressing to coat evenly. Divide among salad plates and top each with a seared goat cheese package and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Spoon a little extra dressing over each salad and serve immediately.

One crucial ingredient is the pomegranate juice used in the salad dressing; it gives the salad its distinctive flavor. Do not substitute.

May your New Year be Delicious...Doug and June

Merry Christmas to all our friends from Doug and June!

IT"S CHRISTMAS!!

 

Merry Christmas to all our friends from Doug and June!

Sure hope Santa was good to you and if he wasn't that it was all worth it. Now its time to get ready for New Year's eve. Are you ready??? 2012 certainly had some challenges and the new year gives us the opportunity to reflect, contemplate, reevaluate and try again when we or life have fallen short. I love the saying... always shoot for the moon, cause even if you miss, you still fall into the stars. Its so important for us all to visualize all the good things we want and deserve. The Universe is a place of unending abundance. and each one of us deserve having our dreams come true. And your job is to believe...believe that all your needs are already being met. And the things most desired by your heart, will happen.. for the good of all concerned, diminishing no one. 

Let’s Start The New Year Right Lyrics

One minute to midnight
One minute to go
One minute to say good-bye
Before we say hello

Let's start the new year right
Twelve o'clock tonight
When they dim the light
Let's begin

Kissing the old year out
Kissing the new year in

Let's watch the old year die
With a fond good-bye
And our hopes as high
As a kite

How can our love go wrong if
We start the new year right?

Are you excited? You should be. The new year is a time of wonderous opportunity and unimaginable miracles. All we have to do is believe in love, cast fear aside and open ourselves up to receive our gifts.

New Year's resolutions... should be 1) attainable, 2) sincere, 3) love based. You might be asking yourself why it's important to set a new years resolution. We know "you fail to plan then you plan to fail". If you want to achieve more than you have in previous years then setting a plan is the first step. And visualizing all ready having what we want is the second. I offer you my top three resolutions that seem to always work to make life amazing. (We will count down since we love countdowns)

4. Be More Positive... It's almost the beginning of a new year and many of us had hard knocks last year. At times you may have given up and felt it really wasn't worth going on or you've questioned the reasons for what you've been doing and if it will ever get better. Despair and apathy are our worst enemies. Don't let them rob you of life. Sometimes, life knocks us down or we stumble along the path. It isn't easy to get up, but improving ones self-talk can help a lot. It's not important that you stumble or fall, but that you get up again! The first step to achieving anything is believing you can.

     Start off 2013 the right way, with the right attitude and positive self-talk. You willbe amazed at the miracles that manifest in your life, the differences you see in yourself and that others see in you too.

3. Improve Health...Improving your health can occur in a number of ways.  You may decide to quit bad habits such as smoking or drinking.  You can also get healthier by doing more exercise.  You might need to lose the phone number for all those take-away places you frequent, and learn to make home made versions, which are always healthier.  Not only will this help in your goal to get healthier, but it could help with your wallet and your waistline.  Be realistic about your health goals.  Remember good health and beauty are not a number on a scale.  It's about feeling wonderful, being happy and being able to do the things you want.  Life would be sad indeed if we couldn't indulge in fine chocolate, drink good wine, eat amazing and succulent foods.  The trick is moderation and balance in all things.

2. Love more...
I knows this sounds simple, but its not.  It's easy to love those, we know well and trust.  It's hard to incorporate love in every aspect of our lives.  First off, for those we already love... love unconditionally.  That means, "I love you right here, right now, and you never have to anything to earn my love".  In most cases it means there are times we need to separate the person from their behavior.  It doesn't mean we live with abusive situations (afterall, we need to love ourselves first).. it does mean, we don't jump to conclusions, we don't lose faith, we remember that we are all human and make mistakes sometimes.  And for everyone else, we come from a place of love not fear. You may feel helpless when you witness so much pain and suffering in the world. It is impossible to help everyone. However, you can start in small ways. Ask yourself, "Whom may I help today?" Let the planting of that seed flourish as you go about your daily life practicing random acts of kindness. It doesn't matter how small you consider that act of kindness to be. If you are doing it with intention, coming from a place of love within yourself, that is all that matters.  Someone once told me, one way to achieve happiness is to do two things a day to improve someone's life annonymously.  Be the angel in someone else's life.  Be the miracle.  The important part is to be annonymous.  Remove our ego from the situation. 

1. Meditate more...
Meditation is not just for gurus and monks.  It is for you and me. 
Meditation helps to deepen our compassion, and loving kindness to others, and ourselves. This guided meditation deepens the aspirations of peace, love and compassion and unfolds in expanding consciousness. When we experience inner peace, we can extend ourselves to others more readily.  Carl Jung, the famous psychologist, was once asked how to avert the global catastrophes of war and greed. His answer was simple, "Cultivate inner peace."

   What we would like to do here is take meditation back to basics and offer this simple form.  Your being is composed of both external and internal aspects. Yet you spend all of your time with the external. Meditation is a means for you to direct your attention to the opposite side, the internal.  We are so wrapped up in the outside world, we neglect what is within us. We are out of balance, "lopsided," and that puts us into an extreme situation. These instructions are for a simple, seated meditation that can help you to start developing a balance.

Before you begin this meditation, make the decision to sit down and devote the energy of your mind, body, and heart to resting within stillness.  Find a place where you will not be disturbed, i.e. a room where no one will come in, where the phone does not ring, where little or no noise can get in, etc.

It is very important that you are physically comfortable when practicing meditation. This will help prevent you from becoming distracted by bodily sensations that arise from physical discomfort. Take a minute to relax and establish a condition of ease in your body. Close your eyes and mouth, breathing normally through your nose. If it helps you to relax, take a few deep breaths.

This focus will be your breathing. Become aware of your breathing with each inhale and exhale. Once you are aware of your breathing, slowly begin to breathe into your abdomen. In other words, breathe using your diaphragm, not your lungs. The lungs expand downward instead of out during the inhale. If you do not know how to breathe with your diaphragm or it is uncomfortable, then breathe like you normally do. Just relax as best you can.

Continuously recall your mindfulness, your awareness to the inhale and exhale of your breath. If you find yourself distracted with thoughts, gently bring your attention back to the feeling of your breathing. With each breath, allow yourself to be in the present; it is only the present that exists. In the present is where you can discover deeper levels of your mind and being.

Now that you rest with your breathing, slowly turn your attention inwards and find the stillness in your mind. As you find the silence, be with it. Become the stillness.  If you find yourself distracted with thoughts, place your attention on your breathing again and withdraw from your thoughts.

If it becomes difficult to find the silence or rest with it, try repeating the word "om" (as in dome) in a natural repetition. Say the word silently within your mind. Feel the vibration of the word as you repeat it and immerse yourself in it.

Don't worry if you find yourself thinking a lot. This is normal. Over time, you will gain the ability to quiet yourself more and more. Like anything else, it just takes practice.   If you experience some physical discomfort during the meditation, make the necessary adjustments to bring yourself back to the comfort zone. The adjustments might be very subtle muscular, skeletal, or attitudinal shifts.

Try practicing this meditation once a day in the evening for about 15 to 20 minutes. Make it a special part of your daily routine. As you become accustomed to your practice, add a morning meditation for the same amount of time.

Meditation can be very profound and meaningful, for the effects of resting within silence will be felt in your daily life. It can be an excellent stress reducer. It gives you the opportunity to enjoy new meaning and appreciation. Meditation is one of life's paradoxes, for within silence is everything.

(ok I know there are more than 3.. don't be critical.. it's a June thing)

Oh and don't forget the most IMPORTANT Resolution!!!!

EAT MORE CHOCOLATE AND BACON!!!

yeah I know I will get back to recipes and smart ass comments next post....

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year, filled with love and laughter, peace and prosperity, health and happiness...

MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE DELICIOUS!!!

 

from Doug and June

 

 

Happy Winter

Happy Winter

Today for all of us, my prayer is "Please, give us a respite from all the crises." In the wake of the senseless tragedy in Connecticut, we lose our peace. Our flight or fight button is jammed and we can barely put one foot in front of the other. So sit a while and I'll just put on the kettle.

The task of getting through the day with all our loved ones accounted for and a roof still over our heads drains our energy, depletes our sense of security and diminishes our capacity for happiness, leaving us feeling exhausted and vulnerable. Nearly everyday we're inundated with a new reason to be scared—if it's not the collapse of the world markets, or a terrorist alert, it's fears about bird flu, a tsunami in our backyard or Yellowstone National Park blowing up. As Dorothy Parker so succinctly put it, "What fresh hell is this?"

Which is why when challenging and unexpected Change occurs, Mother Providence hits the cosmic Pause button for a sacred time-out. We're stunned and we're meant to stop. I know this may be difficult for you, as it is for me, but think of what's going on now, today and tomorrow as a gift—a way to recalibrate the speed at which we're chasing after our days and clutching at the world's grains of sand. With any dramatic change in our circumstances, whether its good news or bad, there's information to assimilate, emotional wounds to lick, confusion to sort, closets to clear, brown boxes to pack, forms to fill out. There are new connections to make, wisdom to glean, truth to be revealed, forgiveness to be considered, mail to forward. But above all, there's gratitude to be offered for a safe deliverance from the Past before Spirit stamps our letters of transit to the Future.

Let's take a look at the word that saps our strength so quickly and so often:

SCARED

"What difference do it make if the thing you scared of is real or not?" the glorious writer Toni Morrison wonders aloud, surely for all of us. Women have always known how to comfort the fears of others; we just don't remember to use the same tender, loving tactics on ourselves. So the next time you feel a random panic attack starting, take a deep breath, and transpose the "a" and the "c" in the word "scared" and you'll not only discover another word, but a world of difference. You'll uncover the

SACRED

Doesn't that make you feel better already? It works for me,every time. I'd also be willing to bet that your sacred, like mine, is very close—the walls surrounding you or the floorboards supporting you, even if they need a good scrub.

The best definition I ever heard of fear is "False Evidence Appearing Real". When I'm anxious I notice that my fears seem to be speculative, future-tense marauders. Will there be enough? What will I do? How will I cope?

The best way I know to disarm fear is by keeping a Gratitude Journal, a polite daily thank-you note to the Universe—and a reminder to yourself of the very real blessings you have right now. In this moment. Small pauses that bring a smile or a sigh of relief during the day. We think it's the big moments that define our lives—the promotion, the new baby, the renovated kitchen, the wedding. But the narrative of our lives is written in the small, the simple and the common. The overlooked. The discarded. The reclaimed. Life is not made up of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or even years, but of moments. You must experience each one before you can appreciate it.

You also need to take time to visualize what it is your really need. The Universe is a place of unending blessings and abundance. As Children of the Divine, we deserve wonderous and beautiful things in our lives! All we need to do is visualize it. Take the time every day to concentrate on what you need. See yourself always having received this gift. It's there waiting for you... accept it!

Now Winter is arriving, a change of season that's more a sense memory than a date on the calendar. Finally, the balmy days have passed. Gradually familiar surroundings don a stark palate of just waiting to be frosted with snow. Sparkle and magic that dazzle with their beauty. Let December seduce you with her charms: peppermint sticks, creamy hot chocolate, picking out the perfect Christmas Tree, arranging holly wreaths and lighting our world with fairy lights , savory stews and Sunday roasts, the first fire of the season, making a snowman, candles and evergreens on the dining room table, pie making and the tremendous satisfaction of making do with whatever we've got, as we discover all we have is truly all we need, as long as we possess the soul knowledge of how blessed we truly are. Trust me, dearest friend, the world can't take this away…only you can turn the gift away.

Wishing you a month of comfort, unexpected blessings, personal miracles, and a prayer that you may know Deep Joy, Real Love, and Personal Peace.

Wishing you, my dear friends...Peace and Prosperity, Love and Laughter, Health and Happiness this Holiday season and an amazing 2013!!

Mary's Christmas Fudge...Fast and Easy

Mary's Christmas Fudge


(recipe from my mama)
This is just too damn cute...I like it topped with m&m's but then I love m&m's..

1 bag of semisweet chocolate  chips
3/4 bag butterscotch chips
1 can condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
chopped nuts
cherries red and /or green

 In a pan heat milk..add chip..heat until chips are melted completely..then add teaspoon of vanilla
add nuts if you wish

Take milk can (wash and dry) and wrap with saran wrap (plastic wrap)
butter a round cake pan
put wrapped can in center on the cake pan
pour fudge in cake pan...on top of fudge  place cherries, whole nuts, coconut..whatever you choose
and chill

This looks like a wreath

4 Days till Christmas..eat this..Greek-Style Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

Greek-Style Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 3-4 lb whole chicken, preferably organic
1 ½ pounds small waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold
2 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cut the potatoes into 2-inch pieces and place them in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan (or thereabouts–something that is big enough for the chicken to rest on. Toss them with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and the oregano, and squeeze just a bit of half the lemon on top. Push the potatoes towards the edges, making a space in the center fort the chicken.

Rinse the chicken and remove the livers. Pat the chicken dry and put it, breast side up, on the baking dish that’s holding the potatoes. Using a paring knife, pierce it about three times in each half of the breast. Wedge a slice of garlic into each piercing. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper. Flip the chicken. Repeat on the other side, piercing the thigh and leg meat, and wedging in slices of garlic. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and squeeze the rest of the first half of the lemon on top of the chicken. Cut a piece of foil so that it fits around the chicken, and place it on top like a hat.

Bake the chicken for about 45 minutes, basting occasionally with its juices, until the chicken is cooked through–you’ll know it’s cooked when the juices run clear. It may take longer than this, depending on the size of your chicken, but you’ll just have to check. You’ll also have to check on the potatoes–if they’re not close to done, cook a bit longer before proceeding to the next step.

Take the chicken out of the oven. Toss the potatoes and remove the foil hat. Turn the chicken over so it’s breast-side up and squeeze the second half of the lemon over it. Drizzle on a little more olive oil. Raise the heat to 425°F and cook for about 10-15 more minutes, until the skin browns a bit and the potatoes are done.

Remove and let rest about 5 minutes before carving up the chicken and plating each portion with a generous serving of potatoes.

5 Days till Christmas...eat this..Mac and Cheese with Pesto, Proscuitto, and Peas

Mac and Cheese with Pesto, Proscuitto, and Peas

Serves 6


This is really rich! Serve small portions, and accompany with a salad.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus a little more for the pan
1 quart whole milk
1 pound penne rigate
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (4 cups)
1/2 pound mozzarella (fresh or supermarket-style), grated (1 cup)
6 slices prosciutto, cut into skinny strips
1/2 cup pesto, preferably homemade (optional, for me anyways)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.

Warm the milk in the microwave or in a saucepan set over medium-low heat.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, following the package directions, until 3 minutes shy of al dente. The pasta should still have a bite to it. Drain, and shake out all the water.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until it is fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the warm milk and whisk gently over medium heat until the mixture has bubbled and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the salt, pepper, mustard, peas, and most of the grated cheese, reserving about 1 cup. Add the pasta and toss to combine.

Distribute half the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Scatter the slices of prosciutto. Dollop teaspoon-fuls of pesto around the dish. Top with the resto of the mac mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and brown. Let rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES..Iced Gingersnaps

    With these gingersnaps, I simplified holiday baking to its essence, starting with spiced dough, which asks for no special ingredients or equipment–not even a handheld mixer. Instead of rolling out the dough to cut into gingerbread men and women, just formed little balls. For the royal icing, skip food coloring and top the gingersnaps with bright and festive white, amplified with one single decoration, really pretty little white pearls. These snowflake sprinkles would be lovely, too. But if you’re thinking about economy (of money and cabinet space) stick to one kind of sprinkle.

Iced Gingersnaps

Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients
For the cookies:
1 cup sugar
¾ cup molasses
¼ cup honey
¾ cup unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (or just use 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
For icing and decorating:
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 egg whites, beaten

1 tube white pearl decorations, or your favorite sprinkle type–but limit it to one if you know what’s good for you!

Put the sugar, molasses, honey, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted, the sugar is dissolved, and the whole mess bubbles a bit. This should take about 4 minutes, but go in 30 second intervals.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, spices, baking soda and salt. Add the sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add the water and incorporate it.

Refrigerate the dough until it solidifies to a workable consistency – about 1 hour. You can wait just 30 minutes if you’re in a rush.

Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake 7-10 minutes, or until the cookies puff up and are slightly cracked on top. Cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to a rack or serving platter. Cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, drizzle the egg whites into the confectioners’ sugar, whisking as you go. You want the icing to be thick but spreadable, so add more sugar as needed.

Spread icing across the top of each gingersnap and sprinkle with the pearls, pressing them in slightly so they stick in the icing. Let the icing dry in a single layer for 1-2 hours before stacking in a nonstick container.

Hope your Holidays...are Delicious!!

from Doug and June

Fudge Filled Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe came from JIF.com... as I have said before the BEST recipes come from the back of packages or in this case the company themselves...peanut butter, chocolate (foods porn at its finest) equals big time yummy!!! Enjoy, my little foodies!!


Fudge-Filled Holiday Peanut Butter Bars

 

1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons cold butter, cut up

1 (17.5 oz.) package Pillsbury® Sugar Cookie Mix

1/3 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Holiday decorator sprinkles

1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Microwave sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in cold butter until completely melted. Cool while preparing dough, about 15 minutes.
2. COMBINE sugar cookie mix, flour and salt in large bowl, stirring until blended. Add peanut butter, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Mix well. Reserve 3/4 cup dough for topping. Press remaining dough evenly in bottom of ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan.
3. SPREAD chocolate mixture evenly over crust. Crumble reserved dough into very small crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over chocolate mixture. Sprinkle evenly with decorator sprinkles, if desired.
4. BAKE 23 to 28 minutes or until set in center and edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

I don't use cookie mix from a package...it's principal...and sugar cookie mix is SO easy to make (and inexpensive) ...check this out...

 

Fake Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies:1 1/2 Cups Flour
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Mix together and store in a quart size ziplock bag. Write instructions on the bag to add: 1 Stick Softened Butter, 1 Large Egg, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract. Mix & Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes
 

CHRISTMAS COOKIES..Gingerbread Cookies

The Best Gingerbread Cookies..

     This is my very favorite gingerbread cookie recipe. The dough is so firm and nice to work with and is so wonderful smelling that it is almost like a stress reliever. These disappear in lightning speed in my house! This recipe is adapted from a recipe in the Joy of Cooking and according to the entry they only have 3 grams of fat per cookie! If you want crisp cookies roll out very thin. Thicker cookies = softer cookies, thinner cookies= crisper cookies. If the dough is too sticky, chilling should help. **I noticed a lot of people have been having some sticky dough issues. You need to make sure you let the dough rest at LEAST two hours. This helps make the dough more workable.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 large eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)

 

 

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.

In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.

Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.

Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

(Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.) Preheat oven to 375°.

Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.

Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.

Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.
Use additional flour to avoid sticking.

Cut out cookies with desired cutter-- the ginger bread man is our favorite of course.

Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.

Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies-- very good!).

Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

After cookies are cool you may decorate them any way you like.

I usually brush them with a powdered sugar glaze when I am in a hurry, but they look wonderful decorated with Royal icing.

 

(I think there is an issue of word usage in the directions. It says after adding the last bit of the dry ingredients to mix until dough is smooth. This dough will not be smooth but more like pie crust, so make sure you mix until well incorporated. It will be pretty much a heavy chunk of heavenly smelling dough that can easily divided to chill. Also with as much ginger this recipe calls for, keep in mind even after baking these cookies will have a strong ginger flavor which is great for gingerbread cookie lovers like myself, but be prepared for the non-fans. A nice coating of Royal Icing can help in this regaurd, or the traditional raisins.)

 

6 Days till Christmas...eat this..Cheeseburger Pie

If you're craving something hearty, this easy (as in only four steps!) cheeseburger pie will do the trick: It's beefy, cheesy and oh-so comforting.

1 deep dish pie shells ( 9 inch)

1 lb ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onions

4 eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a skillet, brown ground beef and onion; drain and set aside.

In a bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the mayo, milk, flour, oregano, salt and pepper.

Stir in beef mixture and 1 cup cheese.

Pour mixture into pie shell.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until eggs are firm. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

 

Serve this with some green beans or whatever frozen or canned veg you have... and a nice glass of merlot