Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Making these cookies around Christmas has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. They are some of the easiest and most delicious cookies that we make. It has been more recent that we started using Reese's in about half of the cookies, but they are quickly becoming the favorite. Actually, my mom usually makes the Reese's cookies in mini cupcake pans so that they surround the peanut butter cups more completely, but I found this way to be just as good.

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
granulated sugar
about 3 dozen milk chocolate kisses (or Reese's)

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, margarine, shortening and egg thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking soda and baking powder. Shape dough into 1" balls; roll in sugar. Place about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until edges are light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately press candy kiss firmly in each cookie; cool.

Remarkable Fudge

I made and delivered plates of Christmas treats to some of our friends and neighbors this past week and made a few things for the first time ever. Fudge was one of the things that I had never made before. I tried a recipe out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I tried to follow the directions exactly and the fudge turned out really well, although it's not quite as good as the one I remember my mom making. Maybe I should have asked her for the recipe. But still, I would be willing to use this one again and even to try the variation it gives for Peanut Butter-Chocolate Fudge (substitute peanut butter for regular butter and omit chocolate bar).

4 cups sugar
10 oz evaporated milk (1 1/3 cups total)
1 cup butter
1 12 oz package semisweet chocolate pieces
1 7 oz dark chocolate or milk chocolate candy bar, cut up (optional)
1 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Line a 9x13" baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter foil; set aside.
Butter sides of a heavy 3-quart (or larger) saucepan. In saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking and stirring for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Add chocolate pieces, cut-up chocolate bar (if desired), marshmallow creme, walnuts, and vanilla; stir till chocolate melts and mixture is combined. Beat by hand for one minute. Spread in the prepared pan. Score into 1" squares while warm. When fudge is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan. Cut fudge into squares. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Makes about 4 lb (96 pieces).

Butter Toffee

Almond Roca is one of my husband's favorite candies but we only buy it occasionally - usually when we see it on sale. These past few years we have been lucky enough to try this Butter Toffee that a neighbor makes and it tastes almost the same. So last night I asked her for the recipe and tried it out myself. It is deceptively simple. With only six ingredients and a very short list of directions, the only real trick is knowing when it is ready. Thankfully, she shared her time-tested secret with me. The first time I made the recipe, I thought I didn't need her trick so I just brought it to the point that when I dropped a bit in a glass of cold water, the toffee was stringy and brittle. But once I had finished and the entire pan cooled, I realized that it was undercooked. It still tasted good but it was too soft. So I made it again using the trick and it turned out perfectly.

1 lb. butter               

2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. corn syrup       

½ cup water

1 cup chopped almonds

1-1 1/2 pkg milk chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients, except nuts in large heavy saucepan. Cover and slowly bring to a boil. Remove cover and continue cooking on medium low heat, stirring occasionally (approx. 25-35 minutes). It is ready when it becomes the color of a brown  paper bag. I actually keep a square with my recipe to compare color to, because it’s longer than you think. Stir in 1/2 cup almonds. Pour out onto large buttered cookie sheet with sides. Immediately spread with 1- 1½  pkgs. milk chocolate chips. Wait a minute or two and spread with a spatula as they melt. Sprinkle with ½ c. finely chopped almonds. Break into pieces when cool.

If the toffee is undercooked, it will be crumbly and extra sweet. If it is overcooked it will be bitter and inedible. 

It starts out the color of butter, a very light yellow.

The first time I removed it from the heat when it was this color. But it was too early!

The second time it got just a little darker than the paper and it turned out just right.

The toffee lightened as it cooled and after it was completely cool it was about the color of the paper.

Kung Pao Chicken

I hope that other people have been able to use my blog as a reference for good recipes just like I use other blogs. Today I decided I wanted "something over rice" so I went to the For the Love of Cooking blog and searched "rice." I found one of the recipes that looked good and tried it out. There are a few things that I feel should be altered to make the dish a little better. Here is my version of the recipe.

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite sized chunks
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tsp sugar
4 green onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
*1/2 cup shredded carrots
*1 1/2 cup pea pods, steamed until tender

*I didn't add these ingredients because I didn't have any on hand, but I will plan better next time so I have them.

Prepare rice. Combine chicken and cornstarch in a bowl and toss until evenly coated. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in another bowl and set aside for later. Heat a large skillet or wok with sesame oil over medium high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot add the chicken and stir fry for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper and green onions (leaving a few for garnishing) to the pan and stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar mixture to the pan along with the water,  cooked chicken, cashews, and vegetables. Cook until sauce thickens and carrots are tender. Serve over rice and top with remaining green onions. Enjoy.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

  

These are the Chicken Enchiladas that my mom made for us growing up. They were one of my favorite foods; it wasn't until I got older that it started to bother me that people considered them to be "Mexican food" even though I'm pretty sure they don't even sell Cream of Chicken soup in Mexico. So, even though they aren't Mexican at all, I still really like them and make them sometimes for my family.

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 pint sour cream

1 4 oz can chopped green chilis (optional)

3-4 green onions, chopped

1 can sliced black olives

1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese
4 chicken breasts, boiled and cut into small pieces
10-12 flour tortillas

Combine ingredients except for tortillas and chicken in a mixing bowl. Remove 2 cups of mixture and add to chicken. Fill tortillas with a few heaping spoonfuls of chicken mixture. Roll and place in a 9x13" casserole pan.

Spoon the remaining mixture over tortillas and sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes.

Dessert Crepes

Crepes are one of those foods that are incredibly easy to make, but are still considered to be somewhat of a delicacy. They are also incredibly diverse, in that they can be eaten with nearly any combination of toppings. They can be a breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a dessert. Here is a great recipe for dessert crepes.

2 eggs
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Place ingredients in blender in the order listed. Blend on high speed 20-30 seconds. Scrape sides of the container and blend a few more seconds. Preheat pan to a medium temperature. Crepe pan is at the correct temperature when the batter sizzles slightly when poured into the pan, and a crape will cook on one side in approximately 1 minute.

The crepe is ready to turn when it begins to set and crisp around the edges. Loosen around the edge with a spatula so you have a starting place to pick up the crepe with your fingers, then simply flip it over. Should it start to tear when picked up, it may not be cooked enough to turn. Cook a few seconds longer and try again.
This recipe makes 16-20 5" crepes.

We filled these crepes with jam, berries, pomegranate seeds, and whipped cream and topped them with berry syrup and powdered sugar. On other ones we used Nutella, peanut butter and bananas. We also used canned peaches, honeydew melon, and strawberries. The possibilities are endless!

Gingersnaps

It's the time of year when all of the neighbors find out who is the best cook. That was always the judgment that we made as children when our doorbell was constantly ringing with friends bringing plates of cookies and holiday treats. Everyone has their own tradition of which types of cookies and desserts they make at Christmastime. And these cookies will certainly be part of our family tradition. They came out of the oven crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and stayed soft for days afterward.

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Cream together shortening, sugar, molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Roll dough balls in white sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375°.

Rosemary Chicken Tortellini

This was an incredible dinner that I made for my parents and siblings when they were here visiting the week of Thanksgiving. It was very simple and quick to make and the leftovers tasted just as good as when it was fresh. This recipe makes enough to feed a family of 8 and still have leftovers.

4 16 oz packages fresh tortellini (I got a variety of kinds for taste and color)
8 oz sauteed mushrooms
Alfredo sauce (double recipe and replace garlic powder with rosemary)
1 Tbsp dried Rosemary
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 lb chicken cut into strips and grilled
Minced garlic
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Garnish with Parmesan cheese and Rosemary

Boil tortellini according to directions on package (you may also use dried tortellini). Preheat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. While pasta is boiling, saute onion until tender then add chicken, seasoning with minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms.

Make Alfredo sauce, doubling the recipe and replacing garlic powder with about a tablespoon of dried Rosemary. Once everything has been prepared and tortellini has been drained, stir mushrooms, sauce, chicken, and pasta together. Serve in a 9x13" casserole dish or other dish. Top with Parmesan cheese and a bit of Rosemary.

German Pancakes

I have never really been a big "breakfast-person" but now that I am pregnant I've found that I feel terribly sick all day if I don't eat something first thing in the morning...and sometimes I feel sick all day anyway. So I have been making some new breakfast foods to break the monotony of always eating cold cereal. I really liked these German Pancakes because they are light and fluffy and full of protein. My favorite part is that when they are in the oven, they blow up like a balloon and then slowly deflate at room temperature.

6 Tbsp butter
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk

Melt butter and pour into 9x13" pan. using mixer, blend remaining ingredients in bowl and pour batter into pan. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Serve with syrup or jam.

 

 This is my pan of German Pancakes before it deflated all the way.