Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (9.5 oz.)
1 large egg
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment (or silpat)
In a medium sized bowl, beat together the peanut butter, egg, sugar and baking soda until smooth. Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until they appear set. Remove them from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

I actually made my cookies larger and baked them a few additional minutes.

blue cheese tomato spread

1/2 cup dried tomatoes
6 oz cream cheese
4 oz blue cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fresh basil

Placed dried tomatoes in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to cover them. Let them stand for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and plump. Drain the tomatoes and chop them. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese and blue cheese. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Then stir in the mayo, pecans, tomatoes and basil. Cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature with good french bread

blue cheese fondue

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped thymE leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pund Cambozla blue cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a small pan over medium low heat, cook the butter, thyme, and garlic until the garlic is soft (about 2 minutes). Be careful not t let the garlic brown. Add the cream and raise the heat to medium. Bring the cream to a simmer. Cook until the cream is reduced by 1/3. Lower the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the pepper and pour into a fndue pot set over low heat.

Serve with pre-cooked flank steak.

cranberry butter

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup unsalted butter (at room temp)
5 tablespoons confectioners sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries and orange juice and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Drain the cranberries in a sieve and chop them finely. When they are cool, combine them with the butter and the confectioners sugar. Beat well until combined. Pack into small ramekins and refrigerate until needed.

slow roasted tomatoes

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 28 oz can italian plum tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butte an 8 in shallow baking dish.
Stir together sugar salt and pepper in a cup.
Put tomatoes in baking dish and sprikle all over with the sugar mixturE. Dot tomatoes with butter, then bake them until the tmate are partially cllapsed and deeply caramelized in places ( about 1-2 hours). Serve warm or at room temperature.

I serve this with good cheese and olive as an antipasta. Or just as an excellent winter side dish.

chocolate zucchini bread

3 eggs
1 cup veg oil
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups zucchini peeled and shredded
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredient. Add dry ingredients t zucchini mixture and mix well. Pour into two greased 8x4x3 loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Fudge Pie from Buzzy Smith

2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup flour, sifted
2 large eggs (get rid of white string) at room temperature
1 teaspoon real vanilla
pinch kosher salt

Melt butter. Set aside. Throw in chocolate after butter slightly cooled. With wire whisk, stir and melt chocolate. Add sugar and flour, and stir with wire whisk. Add pinch of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon real vanilla. Add eggs. Stir well. Looks like chocolate pudding. Put into  aluminum pie pan sprayed with Pam (can buy atthe grocery store  in 3-pkg).
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Look at 20 minutes. Let cool. Can garnish with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, etc. Cut with a sharp knife.
(can freeze if double wrapped)

NOFO Pimento Cheese

Ingredients:
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 ounces cream cheese
5 ounces bottled pimentos, drained and chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
5 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Texas Pete brand hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne, to taste
Directions:
COMBINE cheeses, pimentos, mayonnaise, onions and horseradish with an electric mixer.
Continue mixing until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and mixture is nearly smooth, with some of the texture of the grated cheeses remaining.
Season to taste with Texas Pete, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Yield: 12 servings

Herbed Chicken Chutney Salad on Lettuce Leaves

½ cup may

¼ cup mango Chutney

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 cups diced skinless cooked chicken

6 tablespoons chopped walnuts

5 tablespoons fresh cilantro

¼ cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

 

24      3 1/2 inch long pieces hearts of romaine lettuce

 

Whisk mayo, chutney and lime juice in a large bowl.  Mix in chicken, walnuts,2 tablespoons cilantro, and all the celery, and red bell pepper.  Cover and refrigerate (can be made in advance)

 

Place lettuce leaves on platter, spoon 1 heaping tablespoonful of chicken salad in the center of each leaf.  Sprinkle remaining  3 tablespoons of  cilantro over and serve. 

 

This is a nice low carb food, also great for girly parties (baby showers, bridal showers or game night with the girls).

Quick Sugar Cookies (no chill needed)

1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) vegetable shortening
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, to taste
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat together the shortening and sugar till smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, again beating till well-combined.

Add the nutmeg, flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients, and beat until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Drop the dough in round blobs onto a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. They you hav makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2 inches between the dough balls, as they’ll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for about 16 to 18 minutes, or until they’re just beginning to brown around the bottom edges. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. As they cool, they’ll become crisp. If you want them to remain crisp, store them in an airtight container when they’re totally cool.