Haystacks (a.k.a No Bake Cookies)

1/2 cup (one stick) butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 heaping cup baker's cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups regular rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut chips (optional)
3 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

you can get as creative as you'd like with what you mix in beyond the oats. give it a try... that's how i came up with coconut and sesame seeds.

1. combine butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk in a large saucepan. bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and boil for one minute.
2. remove from heat. stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well combined.
3. add oats, coconut, sesame seeds, nuts and mix well.
4. drop by spoon fulls onto wax paper. allow to set up and cool - approximately 20 minutes. store in an airtight container (and in the fridge during the hot months).

Peanut Butter Cookies

so delicious: slightly crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle. oh, and good for dipping.

1 cup butter, softened but still cool
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter*
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla
11/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy - this is key.
2. Add sugars, blend well (2-3 minutes). Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla, blend until creamy.
3. Combine flours, soda, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Add a little more than half to the creamy mix and combine. Add the rest of the flour mix and combine.
4. Form rough balls, place on cookie sheet, crisscross tops with a fork and bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack (if you can wait that long).

* Contrary to popular belief you can make these cookies with natural peanut butter (like Adam's). Just make sure the peanut butter has been stirred really well and refrigerated at least overnight.

This dough also refrigerates and freezes great when formed into a cylinder, wrapped in some wax paper and sealed in a ziploc bag.

Tilapia with Almond Butter

This recipe is quick, simple (which I really dig these days), light and delicious.


3 cups snow pea pods, trimmed
4 4-5 ounce fresh skinless tilapia fillets
Sea Salt (in truth, sea salt is better in this situation)
Freshly ground black pepper (which I now have thanks to ash)
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cups sliced almonds

In a large saucepan bring lightly salted water to boiling. Add pea pods. Cook for two minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, season fish with salt and pepper; sprinkle with flour (err on the side of more, not less). In a large skillet cook fish in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until fish is easy to remove with a spatula. Gently turn fish and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Place peas on serving plates; arrange fish on top of peas and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to skillet. When butter begins to melt, stir in almonds. Cook and stir for 30-60 seconds or until almonds are lightly toasted (do not let butter burn). Spoon mixture over fish fillets.

Hint: I used frozen tilapia which was also delicious. To thaw fish, rinse and let sit in cool water for a few minutes. The recipe also suggest using perch, sole, or other white fish fillets.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

So easy, yet you feel gourmet when you make it...

1 lb. pork loin chops, boneless
3 T white wine vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 c sour cream
2 T Dijon mustard

Place pork loin chops in bowl or plastic bag. Combine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil and crushed garlic cloves. Pour over meat.* Let marinate. Grill or broil until well-cooked. Serve with mustard sauce. For mustard sauce, combine sour cream and Dijon mustard.

*you can freeze the pork at this time if desired. When ready to prepare, thaw meat then grill.

Mapple-Glazed Salmon with Pineapple

This salmon recipe is simple, uses ingredients you may already have on hand, and does not take much time to prepare.

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 6-ounce salmon fillets

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (doesn't need to be kosher)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 fresh pineapple (you can also used canned)

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

2 cups cooked white or brown rice

Heat broiler. Whisk together the maple syrup and mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Place the salmon in a foil-lined 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Season with the salt and pepper. Slice the peel from the pineapple half and cut it lengthwise into quarters, then cut each quarter in to 1/2 inch thick triangles. Scatter the pineapple and jalapeno around the salmon. Brush the salmon with the syrup mixture. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with pricked with a fork and the inside is the same color throughout. Serve the salmon and pineapple with the rice and drizzle with the remaining glaze, if desired.

Suggested serving tips:

Slice the other half of the pineapple left over from this recipe, brush it with maple syrup, and broil until it bubbles. Serve with ice cream.

Recipe received from Gail Busby.

Muffins

these muffins are easy and very tasty. you can use fresh, dried, or frozen fruit (don't thaw frozen fruit) and nuts if you'd like.

1 ¾ cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt

½ cup butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup milk, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg, room temp
1 ¼ cup fruit

1. Heat oven to 400°. Grease muffin tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk wet ingredients and sugar in another bowl.
4. Fold wet ingredients then fruit into dry ingredients.
5. Scoop ¼ cup into muffin tins, sprinkle tops with granulated sugar.
6. Bake 15 – 17 minutes.

Mom's Cookie Press Butter Cookies

in case you're like me and have lost then found, then lost, then found this recipe card a few times, i'm posting it here. i just made these today and oh, the good memories came rushing back!

slight changes and tips:
• make sure butter and egg are room temp.
• add 1/2 tsp salt to dry ingredients.
• cream butter and sugar for a nice long time (2-3 minutes).
• substitute 2 tsp additional vanilla if you don't have almond extract.
• the cookies don't expand much at all so you can pack them in rather close on the cookie sheet.
• rotate between two or three cookie sheets if you have them, scrapping off and letting cool outside between baking (make use of that frigid weather).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

these cookies are great! they have a nice light consistency. not greasy, flat, or overly-moist like a lot of pumpkin cookies.

1 cup canned pumpkin*
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted and slightly cooled butter
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 cups flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
dash cloves
2 cups chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 350°. combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg in a medium bowl. dissolve baking soda in milk and combine, along with vanilla, to the pumpkin mixture.
2. in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. combine dry and wet ingredients until just incorporated. fold in chocolate chips.
3. drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. cool on wire racks. store in airtight container and/or in the refrigerator.

*you can also use freshly baked, pureed pumpkin.

Easy Poached Salmon

so simple it's almost ridiculous.

salmon fillets (6 oz per person)
1 carrot, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 slices lemon
4 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup white cooking wine
juice of half a lemon

1. in a sauce pan place the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, lemon slices and bay leaf.
2. rinse off salmon in cool water and place on top of veggies. add cold water until fish is barely covered. salt and pepper to taste.
3. add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil uncovered.
4. adjust heat to simmer and let fish cook for 5 minutes.
5. remove from heat and leave fish undisturbed for 10 minutes. remove carefully to plates, garnishing with a few veggies and a lemon slice on top.

serve with salad, veggies, rice (pilaf), potatoes, anything!

Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Makes 4 servings.

1 3 1/2- 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used thawed frozen chicken breasts... works just fine)
1 yellow onion, cut into 1 inch wedges
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 T olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 T maple syrup
6 sprigs of fresh thyme


Heat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Arrange the chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in a 9X13 baking dish. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with the sprigs of thyme. Roast, stirring the vegetables once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.


Even when made with cheaper ingredients (I mean, I don't have kosher salt or even a whole chicken lying around) this dish is delicious and impressive. Thyme is expensive but Seasonal Savory works as well. I used the extra thyme I purchased for the lime and thyme potato salad (posted previously) and served it all with fresh green beans a la bellz. You'll love it. Great for fall.

GRANDMA’S SOUR CREAM COOKIES

Bake: 350 Makes: 36

½ c. butter
1 ½ c. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 ½ c flour
½ t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
½ pint sour cream

Cream butter, sugar eggs and vanilla- alternately add sour cream and dry ingredients. Hand stir to gently fold in sour cream until smooth. Drop T. dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Cool on rack and frost with vanilla butter cream frosting.

*Something funny about this recipe, when grandma wrote it for me, she wrote down different instructions (which have been modified to fit modern ovens). Because of her little oven, she has the cookies baking at 425 for 10 minutes. You’re welcome to give it a try, especially if you have a 50+ year old oven. These were my favorite cookies of ALL TIME when I was young and they continue to be my favorite still! Grandma was the best dessert maker in the world!

Lemon Zucchini Cookies

oven: 350, yields: 40 small cookies

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 t. lemon zest
1 c. zucchini shredded
1/2 c. walnuts chopped (optional, very optional)
Lemon Drizzle Frosting
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

In large bowl blend butter and sugar together, add egg and mix until well blended. Stir in flour slowly and gradually until it is mixed all the way in. Add lemon zest, zucchini (and nuts if you have to). Drop by rounded teaspoons on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 10 - 12 minutes, or until very lightly browned. While still warm drizzle with Lemon Frosting (mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together). Cool on rack.

This is a good little recipe to have when the zucchini season is ripe (and you already made some zucchini bread).

Better Banana Bread

three ingredients make this banana bread better than any other i've tasted: brown sugar, butter, and yogurt.

2 cups flour (whole wheat is best but all-purpose is fine)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 very ripe, soft, brown-speckled large bananas (or 4 medium)
6 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips (optional)

1. preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. whisk flour, sugar, soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. if you're making the bread with nuts or chocolate chips whisk them into the dry mixture as well. set aside.
2. cut the butter into several pieces and melt, then let slightly cool.
3. in a medium bowl, mash the bananas very well. add the butter, yogurt, eggs and vanilla mixing with the whisk after each added ingredient.
4. gently fold wet mixture into dry mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula just until incorporated. scrape batter into greased loaf pan. bake for 50-55 minutes or until an instered toothpick comes out clean.
5. remove bread from pan and allow it to cool on a rack or cloth. enjoy!