M&M Party Cookies

1 cup Crisco
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups M&M's plain chocolate candies

Blend together crisco and sugars in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Sift remaining dry ingredients together, add to sugar mixture, blending well.  Stir in 1/2 cup candies.  Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheets; decorate tops with remaining candies.  Bake at 375^ for 10 minutes or until golden-brown.  Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Delicious and so colorful!

Rich Beef Barley Soup

1 tablespoon good olive oil

2 pounds beef shortribs

1 lb lean beef, cubes 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (4 carrots)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup (1/2-inch) diced celery (2 stalks)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

3 bay leaves

32 oz carton beef broth

Water, as needed

1 cup pearled barley

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the shortribs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until browned all over. Remove the shortribs with a slotted spoon and reserve.  Brown the beef cubes and remove them.

Add the leeks, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown. Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen string and add to the pot along with the bay leaves. Return the shortribs and beef cubes to the pot and add the broth, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper and water if necessary to cover the mixture. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours or until the beef is very tender. Discard the thyme bundle and the bay leaves, and skim off the fat.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the barley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, drain, and set aside.

When the soup is ready, add the barley and cook the soup for another 15 or 20 minutes, until the barley is tender. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, the soup might need another teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Serve hot.

Adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe.  YUM!!

Orange Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp grated orange peel
¼ cup orange juice
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups regular or quick cooking rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350^.

 

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, orange peel and juice. Gradually beat in flour, soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg until mixed. Stir in oats.

 

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 ½ inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

 

Makes 2 to 2 ½ dozen cookies

 

 

These were tasty (I liked the orange flavor), but they were very dense and cakey.  John loved them, but I probably will never make 'em again. 

Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Strawberry Vanilla Jam

3 cups crushed strawberries
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
3 Tbsp Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
1/2 tsp butter
3 1/3 cups granulated sugar
Grated rind of 1 small lime

This was my first time using my new Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker from Ball.  I loved it!  So easy!!

Wash and sterilize your jars and lids.  They need to be hot and ready.  This recipe will make about 2 pints of jam.

Wash and drain the strawberries. Remove the stems and hulls and crush the berries one layer at a time using a potato masher.  Measure the berries and add the vanilla bean and seeds and the lime rind.  Set aside.

Sprinkle the pectin evenly over the bottom of the pot fitted with the stirrer.  Add the crushed berries over the pectin.  Add the butter to help reduce foaming.

Press the "Jam" button and then "Enter" and wait 4 minutes (it'll beep 4 times) before gradually adding the sugar while the stirrer continues running.  Place the lid on the pot and go have a cup of coffee or something for the next 17 minutes.

When the machine beeps again press "Cancel" and unplug it.  Remove the lid and, using a pot holder, take the stirrer out.  Skim foam if necessary (I didn't have any foam - just a potful of beautiful, red and fragrant jam!).

Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/2" headspace and being careful not to spill any on the rims of the jars.  (If you do wipe it off thoroughly).  Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings just until fingertip tight. 

Process the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes (jars should be covered by 1-2" of water).  Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for about 5 minutes. 

Carefully remove the jars to a folded towel on your counter and let them cool.  Check your seals before storing them in the pantry. 

Delicious flavor and color!  And I love my Jam & Jelly Maker!!! 

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

2 heads romaine, washed and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp minced red onion
6 oz Boar's Head Lower Sodium Roasted Chicken Breast, cubed
8-oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/3 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp honey, or to taste
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
Grated rind of 1/2 fresh lime
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Combine mayonnaise, honey, lime rind and juice and the ginger.  Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Toss the romaine, carrot, onion, chicken breast, pineapple, cheddar and almonds.  Drizzle with Honey Lime Dressing and serve immediately.

Yum!

Blazin' Buffalo Crunch Sub

4 oz Boars Head Blazing Buffalo Chicken, sliced

2 oz french fried onions
2 oz shredded lettuce
Sliced Tomatoes
2 oz Blue Cheese or Ranch dressing
Whole Wheat Sub Roll

Spread the cut sides of the sub roll with the dressing (I used Ranch).  Pile on the chicken, fried onions, lettuce and tomatoes. 

Yum! 

 

Easy Pecan Kringle

Easy Pecan Kringle

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust from a 15 ounce box

2/3 c. chopped pecans
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. butter, softened (do not use margarine spread)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Heat oven to 375.

 

The refrigerator pie crusts come 2 per box.You only need one of the crusts to make this recipe (it will make 6 slices).

Place one of the crusts on a slightly greased large cookie sheet.

Mix the softened butter, pecans and brown sugar in a bowl. Spread the mixture over half of the pie crust and be sure to leave about 3/4 of an inch of crust edge with no mixture so you can seal it.

 

Brush the edge with a little water and fold the crust over the filling to make a half moon shaped Kringle. Sealthe edge by pressing twith a fork tine.  Prick the top with a fork a few times and bake for 17 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. 

 

Make the glaze while the Kringle is baking.  In a small bowl mix the powdered sugar vanilla and enough milk to create a drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over the top of the baked Kringle and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. 

 

Cut into 6 triangles to serve. 

 

My opinion....this would have been great with a "real" (homemade) pie crust.  The Pillsbury pie crust always tastes kind of funny to me.  A little "off".  However, it looked great at tea time!  I'll probably try this again with a better crust.