Cherry Pecan Thumbprints Cookies

It just wouldn't be Christmas in our house without these cookies. We have been making them for years. They are a wonderful combination of a simple shortbread cookie rolled in crispy pecans and topped with a sweet maraschino cherry. they are always a hit!

Ingredients:

1 cup Butter, softened

½ cup Packed Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 cups All Purpose Flour

½ tsp Salt

½ cup Finely Chopped Pecans

12 Maraschino Cherries, halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Separate eggs, reserving egg whites in a separate bowl.

Cream butter, sugar, and egg yolk

Add vanilla, flour and salt and combine well.

Shape dough into 24 balls. Dip balls in beaten egg white then roll in pecan pieces.

Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for about 5 minutes.

Remove sheets from oven and using thumb, make an indent in the top of each cookie. Add a cherry half, cut side down. Return to oven and bake an additional 6-8 minutes.

Mom's Cloverleaf Rolls

One of my best memories of childhood is my mother taking pans of these rolls out of the oven. Today, I serve them with my homemade strawberry preserves and they are just as wonderful!

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1-1/4 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Additional butter, melted

1.In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the butter, egg, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2.Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3.Punch dough down and divide in half. Divide each half into 36 pieces and shape into balls. Place three balls in each greased muffin cup. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush with additional butter.

4.Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 2 dozen

Pot Roast In Foil

If you grew up on pot roast cooked in foil with Lipton Onion Soup mix, you're going to love this version from Cook's Country.

POT ROAST IN FOIL

Serves 4 to 6

You will need an 18-inch-wide roll of heavy-duty aluminum foil for this recipe.

Ingredients

Rub

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Chuck Roast

1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast

2 onions, peeled and quartered

6 small red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl.

2. Pat roast dry with paper towels. Separate roast into 2 pieces along natural seam and trim fat to ¼-inch thickness. Tie kitchen twine around each roast at 1-inch intervals.

3. Crisscross two 30 by 18-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil inside large roasting pan. Place onions, potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves in center of foil and drizzle with soy. Set roasts on top of vegetables. Rub roasts all over with rub. Fold opposite corners of foil toward each other and crimp edges tightly to seal. Transfer pan to oven and cook until meat is completely tender, about 4½ hours.

4. Remove roasts from foil pouch and place on carving board. Tent meat with foil and let rest 20 minutes. Discard onions and bay leaves. Using slotted spoon, place carrots and potatoes on serving platter. Strain contents of roasting pan through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Let liquid settle, then pour defatted pan juices into serving bowl.

5. Remove kitchen twine from roasts. Slice roasts thinly against grain and transfer to platter with vegetables. Pour ½ cup pan juices over meat. Serve with remaining pan juices.

MAKE AHEAD Rub can be made and stored in airtight container at room temperature for 1 month.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

This is a delicious Fall soup, with a few flavor surprises! From Cook's Country.

Ingredients

SOUP

2 pounds beef bones (see note)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), quartered and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup apple butter

3/4 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

CHEESE CROUTONS

1 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Instructions

1. COOK ONIONS Arrange beef bones on paper towel-lined plate. Microwave until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, set slow cooker to high. Add butter, cover, and cook until melted. Add onions, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon peper, brown sugar, and thyme. Stir flour, apple butter, sherry, and soy sauce together in small bowl until smooth. Pour over onions and toss to coat. Tuck bones under onions around edge of slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat until onions are softened and deep golden brown, 10 to 12 hours. (Cooked onions can be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 day.)

2. FINISH SOUP Remove bones from slow cooker. Heat chicken and beef broth in microwave until beginning to boil. Stir into slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.

3. MAKE CROUTONS Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from broiler element) and heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange bread slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake until bread is golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Heat broiler. Divide cheese evenly among croutons and broil until melted and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. SERVE SOUP Ladle soup into bowls and top each with 2 croutons. Serve.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels

• 1/3 cup butter, melted

• FILLING:

• 5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

• 1-1/2 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1 cup peanut butter chips

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

• TOPPING:

• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine pretzels and butter. Press onto the bottom • and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place pan • on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire • rack.

• • In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add peanut • butter and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs; beat on low just until • combined. Stir in chips. Pour over the crust. Return pan to baking • sheet.

• Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. • Remove from the oven; let stand for 15 minutes (leave oven on).

• • For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, peanut butter • and sugar; spread over filling. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake 5 minutes • longer.

• • Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the • edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate • overnight. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 • servings.

15-minute Crab Enchiladas

15-Minute Crab Enchiladas

Ingredients

◦3 tbsp. vegetable oil

◦6 corn tortillas

◦8 oz. crabmeat

◦3 tbsp. olive oil

◦1 garlic cloves, chopped

◦1/2 cup onion, chopped

◦3 tbsp. jalapeños, chopped

◦1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

◦1 tbsp. parsley

◦1 tbsp. cilantro

◦1 cup sour cream

◦1/2 cup milk

◦1/2 tsp. ground white pepper

Pick through the crabmeat and remove any bits of shell or cartilage. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and onion, and sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the jalapeños, tomatoes, parsley, and cilantro and cook for about 3 minutes. Add crabmeat and cook just until crabmeat is heated through. Adjust seasonings as needed. Whisk the sour cream, milk and white pepper together in a small bowl and set aside. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers but make sure the oil is hot enough, or the tortillas will absorb too much oil and be greasy. Using tongs, dip each tortilla into the hot oil for about 10 to 15 seconds, or until softened. Drain on paper towels. Place 3 tbsp. crabmeat filling down the center of each tortilla and roll it up and place 2 enchiladas on each serving plate. Top with sour cream sauce.

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

8 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread

6 slices bacon

6 large eggs

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter 6 standard muffin cups. With a rolling pin, flatten bread slices slightly and, with a 4 1/4-inch cookie cutter, cut into 8 rounds. Cut each round in half, then press 2 halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to edge of cup. Use extra bread to patch any gaps. Brush bread with remaining butter.

2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, until almost crisp, 4 minutes, flipping once. (It will continue to cook in the oven.) Lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts. Serve immediately.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Here's a great recipe for the upcoming Superbowl. If you're getting tired of the same old stuff - This recipe will fit the bill.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

12-15 Servings Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients

•12 to 15 large fresh mushrooms

•2 tablespoons butter, divided

•2 tablespoons chopped onion

•1 tablespoon lemon juice

•1/4 teaspoon dried basil

•Salt and pepper to taste

•4 ounces bulk Italian sausage

•1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

•2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

•2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

•Remove stems from the mushrooms. Chop stems finely; set mushroom caps aside. Place stems in paper towels and squeeze to remove any liquid.

•In a large skillet, heat 1-1/2 tablespoons butter. Cook stems and onion until tender. Add the lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper; cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Cool.

•In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mixture, sausage and parsley; stuff reserved mushroom caps. Combine crumbs and cheese; sprinkle over tops. Dot each with remaining butter.

•Place in a greased baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, basting occasionally with pan juices. Serve hot. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita

1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 Hass avocados, chopped

Instructions

1.Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Edamame Hummus

A nice twist of the original. Very healthy snack.

EDAMAME HUMMUS

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bag thawed, shelled Edamame

1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

3 TBSP tahini

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to a smooth paste. If mixture is too thick, add small amounts of water until it is the proper consistency.

Serve with pita chips, veggie sticks, you name it!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I love all Indiam food, but I think Tikka Masala is way at the top of the list. This recipe is easy to prepare and has all the wonderful flavors of India.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 lb. chicken tenders

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 c. low fat milk

1 c. plain yogurt

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. cilantro

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. garam masala

dash of red pepper

--Mix all ingredients together. Pour over chicken in large casserole dish. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over basmati rice.

Chicken Piccata

How about a delicious, easy to make recipe for a romantic dinner? Sound good? Try this Chicken Piccata. It is sure to fit the bill.

CHICKEN PICCATA

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces linguine

3 packed cups loose baby spinach (about 5 ounces), torn into pieces

3 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dip into flour, turning to coat; shake off excess.

2.In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook until lightly browned and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken (reserve skillet for sauce).

3.Meanwhile, cook linguine in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Add spinach, and stir until submerged. Drain pasta mixture and return to pot. Toss with 1 tablespoon butter; season generously with salt and pepper. Add some reserved pasta water if necessary. Cover to keep warm.

4.Into skillet, pour wine and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high, stirring to loosen browned bits, until liquid has reduced to 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; swirl in 2 remaining tablespoons butter until melted. (For a smoother sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired.) Add capers, and season with salt and pepper. Divide chicken and linguine among four serving plates; top chicken with sauce.

Perfectly Seared Steak

Searing turns good steak into great steak. When a steak is properly seared, it has a nice crust on the outside and the inside is juicy and delicious. Here are some tips on getting the perfect sear.

1. Allow steak to come to room temperature. If the meat is cold when you put it in the pan, It will cause condensation to form on the outside which will prevent browning. Cold meat will also cook quicker on the outside while the inside will remain underdone.

2. Blot the steak on paper towels before placing it in the pan.

3. Make sure your pan is smoking hot before placing the steak in it. Cast iron is best (either flat or a grill pan), but a steak can be seared in most any heavy bottom skillet.

4. Put the steak in the hot pan and avoid turning it unti a nice crust begins to form and the steak naturally releases itself from the pan. If the steak is sticking, it's not ready to turn. Flip the steak and sear the second side. The entire searing process should take about 2-3 minutes.

5. Have your oven preheated to 450 degrees. Place the pan with the steak in the oven for about 6 minutes for medium rare.

6. The easiest way to tell the doneness of a steak is by touching it. Different degrees of steak feel differently. Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger. Now feel the area between your thumb and index finger. That is how rare steak should feel. Now touch your thumb and your middle finger. That is medium rare. Now touch your thumb to your ring finger. That is medium. Finally, touch your thumb to your pinky. That is well done.

7. Never, EVER cut into a steak as soon as it comes out of the pan or off the grill. Steak must rest for about 10 minutes. This allows the fibers of the meat to naturally tenderize and it allows the juices to redistribute. If you cut a steak as soon as it cooks, all of the juices will end up your cutting board and your steak will be dry and tough.

Roasted Chicken Oreganato

This is a simple dish that roasts in the oven. Leftovers are great, so be sure to double the recipe and keep some in the fridge.

Roasted Chicken Oreganato

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces

4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium-size chunks

4 plum tomatoes, cut into medium-size chunks

1 large onion, cut into medium-size chunks

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in upper third. Combine the chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, and onion in a large roasting pan. Add the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper; toss to combine. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, over the top of the vegetables. Roast until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees, about 45 minutes

Pork & Asparagus Stir Fry

Cooking does not require a lot of work and advanced planning. I just created this recipe a few minutes ago while cleaning out the fridge and it is delicious.

Pork & Asparagus Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 tsp canola oil

1/2 pound bonless pork loin chops, sliced

1 shallot, very thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

1 small onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup snow pea pods

1 pound asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 TBSP hoisin sauce

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown pork strips in canola oil. Add shallot,garlic, and onions. Cook only until vegetables begin to soften. Add snow peas and asparagus. Cover pan and allow asparagus to steam slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in hoisin sauce and serve.

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

This tangy dressing is quick and easy to whip up and a lot less expensive than store bought versions. Keep a jar in the fridge for salads. It's xtra yummy for dipping wings.

Ingredients

•1-1/2 cups mayonnaise

•1/2 cup sour cream

•1/4 cup cider vinegar

•4 teaspoons sugar

•1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

•1/2 teaspoon onion powder

•1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Directions

•In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Stir in the blue cheese. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 cups.

Pork Chop Casserole

I have been making this Pork Chop Casserole for about 16 years and it is always a hit. It's easy to make and so good.

Ingredients

•3/4 cup all-purpose flour

•1 teaspoon salt

•1/2 teaspoon pepper

•6 bone-in pork loin chops (3/4-inch thick and 8 ounces each)

•2 tablespoons canola oil

•1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

•1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream, divided

•2/3 cup chicken broth

•1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

•1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

•1 can (2.8 ounces) french-fried onions, divided

Directions

•In a large plastic resealable bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add pork chops, one at a time, and shake to coat.

• In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil on both sides. Arrange in a single layer in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, broth, ginger and rosemary; pour over chops. Sprinkle with half of onions.

• Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until tender. Stir remaining sour cream into sauce. Sprinkle

Greens With Hot Bacon Dressing

My mom made this salad for every holiday dinner, as long as I can remember. She did have another variation of it, substituting scallions for the green onions, using just leaf lettuce for the greens, and slicing up a couple of hard boiled eggs over the top of the salad. It is wonderful and it sure brings back some great memories. This is a very old German recipe

Greens With Hot Bacon Dressing

4 cups torn fresh spinach

4 cups torn iceberg lettuce

3 ribs celery, sliced

1/2 cup chopped red onion

4 bacon strips, diced

1 egg

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

In a salad bowl, toss spinach, lettuce, celery, and onion; set aside. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy; remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 TBSP of the drippings. In a small bowl, beat egg; add water and mix well. Add to the drippings. Combine vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper; add to skillet. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; pour over sald. Add bacon. Toss and serve immediately.

Swiss Steak - Via 1950

This delicious recipe was in my mother's recipe box and it is dated 1950. (That's 20-something years older than me!). I've had it many times and it is delicious. How about a retro dinner tonight?

Swiss Steak - Via 1950

1 pound beef sirloin tip steak or bottom round steak

3 TBSP all-purpose flour

3 TBSP butter

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium green pepper, cut into strips

Thinly slice steak across the grain into strips. Lightly coat with flour. In a large skillet, brown steak, half at a time, in butter. Return all meat to skillet.

Add the tomato sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce and Worcestershire;mix well. Add teh onions and green pepper. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve over noodles.

Sausage Gravy

This is a true southern breakfast. Serve it with homemade biscuits and it will stick to your ribs all day

Sausage Gravy

1 pound sage-flavored bulk pork sausage

2 TBSP finely chopped onion

6 TBSP all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

Dash worcestershire sauce

Dash hot pepper sauce

Crumble sausage into a large saucepan; cook over medium low heat. Add onion; cook and stir until transparent. Drain; discard all but 2 TBSP of drippings. Stir in flour, cook over medium-low heat about 6 minutes or until mixture bubbles and turns golden. Stir in milk. Add the seasonings; cook and stir until thikened. To serve, slice biscuits and spoon gravy over biscuit halves.