Gingerbread Men

DO NOT DOUBLE THIS RECIPE... FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup warm water
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons baker's cocoa
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a medium bowl, beat butter. Cream in brown sugar and egg. Add vanilla, molasses and water and mix until smooth.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, allspice, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Stir them into the wet mixture until all of the dry is absorbed.
3. Cover the dough and chill for 15 to 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350º F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out into shapes. Place cookies at least 1/2 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use parchment paper if possible.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Makes an army.

from Kel & English

Cornbread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow corn meal (fine stone ground)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup sour cream or whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup milk

1. preheat oven to 400° and grease 9" x 5" loaf pan or 12-cup muffin tin.
2. whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, set aside.
3. in a smaller bowl whisk the eggs until well combined. add sugar to eggs and whisk until smooth and homogeneous. add butter in three additions mixing after each addition. mix in milk, then sour cream or yogurt until well combined.
4. add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix gently with a rubber spatula just until batter is combined - do not over mix.
5. drop batter into loaf pan or muffin tin (don't level or flatten the batter) and bake for 50-55 minutes for loaf or 15-20 for muffins.

Dang Good Hummus

2 cans (15.5 oz) cans garbanzo beans (S&W are best)
1/3 cup garbanzo juice (drain the rest)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 - 2 Tbsp tahini OR 1-2 tsp sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 - 2 tsp cumin
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

To be mixed in (optional):
3 - 4 roma tomatoes – chopped
1 jar artichoke hearts – chopped
1 can (2.25 oz) chopped olives

1. Blend garbanzo beans, garbanzo juice, lemon juice, olive oil, sesame seeds, salt, cumin, and garlic together in a blender until smooth – don’t over blend.
2. Transfer hummus to a bowl and mix in tomatoes, artichoke hearts and olives.
3. Serve with toasted pita (triangles for a party) or corn chips.

Tomato Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cans diced tomatoes, divided
1 cup chicken broth
4 oz. cream cheese
salt to taste

1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until tender.
2. Add two cans of the tomatoes, all of the tomato juice and the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
3. Add cream cheese and let it melt into small pieces.
4. Carefully transfer hot soup to a blender and blend until smooth and even textured. NOTE: Don't fill blender too high and make sure to leave an opening for the steam escape! If necessary, blend in two batches.
5. Return soup to pan, add the last can of the tomatoes, add salt to taste and warm through.
Serve with grilled or toasty cheese.

Granola

8 cups regular rolled oats
1 ½ cups brown sugar
8 oz. coconut flakes (unsweetened is best)
1 ½ cups nuts or seeds
½ vegetable oil
¾ cup honey
2 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 325°. Stir oats, sugar, coconut and nuts/seeds together.
2. In a small pan over medium heat, heat the oil, honey and vanilla stirring until bubbling.
3. Thoroughly mix the wet and dry ingredients. Grease 2 10” x 15” rimmed baking sheets, divide granola between the pans, spreading evenly.
4. Bake uncovered for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly browned, turning two or three times with a spatula.
5. Remove pans from oven, stir a few more times and let cool. Remove with a spatula. Store in airtight container.

recipe from Kel - by way of Carolyn Brooks, by way of Jill Spencer

LEMON CRISPS

2 sticks REAL non salted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3/8 tsp. lemon extract (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine ingredients. I used a mixer. Make two cylinders and wrap in wax paper. Chill for an hour.

Cut 1/4" dough with knife (much like Tube-o-cookies). Bake at 350' on greased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Don't let the cookies get brown. Makes 3 dozen. Mmmmmm!

Comments on this recipe: One could say this receipe is an-easier-to-handle lemon square. It's easier to make and eat, but still quite delicious. They are so simple and simple looking, and I could not stop eating them. Usually, I eat 2 or 3 cookies, but I was up to 5 cookies, plus the dough yesterday!!

Shared by Bellz

Calzones

For 4

Dough:
1 T dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1 T sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 T olive oil
2.5 - 3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast mixture in a bowl. Add sugar, salt, and oil. Mix well. Gradually add flour to from a stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Separate dough into 4 or 6 even balls. Roll out balls into flat circles. Place calzone fillers on one half of the rolled out circles. Fold over and seal up the edges. Put on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until nicely brown. Serve with tomato sauce spooned on top of each calzone.

Filling ideas: mozzarella cheese, broccoli, fresh spinach, pepperoni, ham

What I learned while making this recipe: You'd think calzones would be hard to make, not true! One of the keys to making successful dough is the temperature of your house. When I made dough during the winter, it was about 68 degrees in our house and the dough was having a hard time rising. When I went to make the dough this summer, it was over 78 degrees in the house and that yeast went to town. My suggestion: if you're making this in cold temps (and your keeping the heat bill low), put the dough bowl on the stove while it preheats.

Recipe from Janice

The Chicken Wrap

For 2:
4 Tortillas
12 Frozen, pre-cooked chicken tenders
4 leafs o' lettuce
2 Roma tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
Toppings can range from salad dressing to barbecue sauce

Warm chicken tenders. Assemble wraps as if you worked for a fast eatery cafe.

What I learned while making this recipe: Three things make this dish a good dinner: It has a satisfying mix of flavor, it's filling, and it's fast to make. Plus, I think you can buy something like unto it at McDonald's for a dollar, and make 4 at home for about the same price with better ingredients. At first I wasn't thinking the chicken tenders would be a good purchase, but once I got creative, I was able to come up with a meal containing all food groups. (Tortilla = grain, chicken = meat, cheese = dairy, tomato = fruit, vegetable = lettuce, dressing = oils/fats).

Recipe from the starting-to-think-of-semi-original-dishes Ashley

Apricot Chicken

For 4-6:
4 chicken breasts
1 bottle (8oz) Russian Salad Dressing
1 cup apricot jam
1 package (1 and 1/8oz) dry onion soup mix

Mix dressing, jam, and onion soup mix. Put chicken in 9X11 baking dish. Pour mixture over chicken. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes.

What I learned while making this recipe: You can also use peach jam, which tends to be on sale a bit more than apricot. You can serve this with rice and peas for a delicious meal.

Recipe from a recipe card I have and thus remains a mystery

German Pancakes

For 2:
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
pinch salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Mix all together really well. Put it in a baking dish with 1/4 cup already melted butter. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

What I learned while making this dish: You can melt the butter in the oven while your mixing together the ingredients. Also, for lower calorie intake, you can cut the butter in half, or use even less, as long as it covers the bottom of the baking dish. I've gotten other German pancake recipes from people, but they always call for sugar. This recipe makes a delicious pancake that can be enjoyed with syrup, sugar, lemon juice, or just plain (that's how I like them). Eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Recipe from Bellz

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

For 4:
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayo
1 stalk celery
1/2 onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Boil chicken breast for about 30 minutes. Chop celery and onions. Once the chicken is cooked, you can either shred it off with your fingers or cut it into small pieces. Mix all of the ingredients together and serve on bread. Croissants are always good, but you may not have them on hand.


What I learned while making this recipe: You don't have to wait while the chicken salad cools down through refrigeration. Eat this recipe warm, it's good.

Recipe from Janice

Chocolate Chip Cookies that won't disappoint

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 bag chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Stir flour with baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color (about 4 minutes). Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen.

Cool Tip: You can keep cookies for longer by freezing them.

What I learned while making this recipe: In my search for a quality chocolate chip cookie, I finally found an excellent recipe, changed it just a bit, and it works every time. I found it on the Ghirardelli chocolate chip wrapper. Always delicious and soft. The key to guaranteeing that cookies come out soft is to take them out of the oven before they look light brown. If the recipe says to bake cookies for 9-11 minutes, don't leave them in for 10 minutes (like I did, I thought taking the average was good), take them out at 9 minutes. If they look too gooey, they aren't. When the cookies cool off, they'll be perfect. Also, don't use a hand-held mixer to mix in the flour and chocolate chips. It will break. And one more thing, if you live in a humid area, use about 1/4 cup additional flour (that is, if you want your cookies to be more fluffy rather than flat).