Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

Sinfully good cookies!

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
Raspberry jam

Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and salt mix well. Stir in flour. Shape in to round ball- I use a big spoon to measure. Press down the middle of each ball. In the center put a dollop of your favorite jam. Bake 350 for 12 minutes.


Enjoy!

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

If you like peanut-Asian flavors than you'll LOVE this!.. It's from The Pampered Chef and couldn't be tastier!

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
3 garlic gloves, pressed
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro

In Classic 2-quart Batter Bowl; combine soy sauce, brown sugar, lime zest and juice. Using Garlic Press, press garlic into soy sauce mixture; mix well. Reserve 1/3 cup soy sauce mixture for Peanut Dipping Sauce; place in 1-quart Batter Bowl. Set aside.

Add chicken to remaining soy sauce mixture in 2-quart Batter Bowl. Cover; marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chicken with marinade in 9-inch Square Baker. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Meanwhile, prepare Peanut Dipping Sauce by adding peanut butter and cilantro to reserved 1/3 cup soy sauce mixture in 1-quart Batter Bowl; whisk until smooth. Serve with chicken. Yields 12 servings.

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

So Saturday night I was Jones'n for some carmel popcorn and came up with this recipe on allrecipes.com. It was easy and super d-e-lish! I didn't do the whole bag thing - I used a glass bowl.

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.
In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda.
Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Artichoke Chicken Casserole

A YUM-O casserole!

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 clove garlic
2 (81/2 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 large whole chicken breasts, cooked, boned, and diced
1/2 cup dry white or sherry.
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Saute mushrooms and green onions in butter and garlic. Combine chicken and artichoke hearts in a 2 quarts casserole. Add mushrooms and green onions. Combine wine, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, sour cream, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Fold into chicken mixture and mix well. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta. Serves 6. Enjoy!

Marinated Antipasto Platter

Another yummy "go-to" appetizer I make often.

Marinade
1/4 Cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 cup olive oil

Antipasto
2 cups assorted olives, grained
1 (6-oz.) jar whole mushrooms, drained
1 (8-oz.) mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 lb. sliced hard salami(about 1/8-inch thick)
Cocktail toothpicks
Lemon leaves, if desired.

Combine marinade ingredients except oil. Slowly add oil beating until thick and well blended. In a resealable food storage plastic bag, combine olives, mushrooms, and cheese. Add marinade; cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight to blend flavors.

When ready to serve, cut salami slices in half. Roil slices into small cone shapes; spear with cocktail toothpicks. Line outside edge of large serving platter with lemon leaves. Arrange salami in center on platter.

Drain marinated olives, mushrooms, and cheese, reserving marinade; arrange around edge of platter. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of reserved marinade over salami. Discard remaining marinade. Serves 24. Enjoy!

The "Bestest" Sugar Cookies

or at least my idea of the best ever.

1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour

mix butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and salt. Slowly, add flour. Divide into 3parts. Roll in to balls, put between wax paper and flatten. Refrigerate for 1 hour. roll out us cookie cutter, or not. bake 375 for 12 minutes.

Eggnog Bundt Cake

I made this this morning and couldn't wait for it to cool or be glazed. It is D.E. Licious! I made it in one big bunt- you could use mini bunt pans too-go here for more unique recipes. Her post 1/3/10 looks to-die-for!

1 - yellow cake mix (any brand)
4 - tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 -cups Eggnog
2 - large eggs
1/4 - 1/2 Cup milk
1 - tsp rum extract
1/8 - tsp ground nutmeg


Glaze Ingredients:
2 - cups Powdered Sugar
2 - tablespoons melted butter
3 - tablespoons eggnog
1 - tsp vanilla
dash of nutmeg

In a large bowl, add the cake mix, old fashioned eggnog, eggs, rum extract, nutmeg and melted butter. Mix together on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan, mini loaf or mini bundt pans or just a regular large loaf pan. (I use the Crisco baking spray with flour) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes (large bundt pan) or 20-25 for mini pans. Brush on half of the eggnog glaze . Cool for 20 minutes before removing form the bundt pan. Then remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle on remaining eggnog glaze. Let cake completely cool and glaze is dry.

It reminder me on one of my favorite scenes in"My Big Fat Greek Wedding"

Herbie's Salad

Here's a fun salad my Mom makes. And make a ton it does. Yum!

1 pkg egg noodles cooked
1 can French cut green beans
5 stocks green onions
2 cucumbers – unseeded and slithered
3-5 cooked chicken breast
Optional: Black Olives, chopped tomatoes, and mushrooms

Dressing

3 TBSP sugar
3 tsp salt
¾ tsp pepper
6 TBSP Japanese Mild Rice Vinegar

Cook all ingredients until sugar melts, add ¾ cup veg oil to all ingredients and shake well.


Layer:

Egg noodles
Green beans
5 stocks green onions
Cucumbers
Chicken

Pour dressing over it and per "Rooster" stick a fork in it and EAT !