EASY SUGAR COOKIES

 Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 3⁄4 cups flour

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar.
Add egg and vanilla.
Mix all dry ingredients and add slowly to butter cream mixture until incorporated.
Roll out on lightly floured board to desired thickness.
Cutout 2-1/2" shapes and bake at 400 degrees for 7- 10 minutes.
Should be light in color with light browning on the edges.

Icing Recipe:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
food coloring

Directions:
Stir the powdered sugar and the milk until smooth.
Beat in corn syrup and vanilla until icing is smooth and glossy.
If it's too thick, add more corn syrup.
Divide icing into separate bowls and stir in food coloring as desired.
You can dip the cookies, paint them with a paint brush or spread them using a knife or the back of a spoon.

food. com

AMISH APPLE BUTTER PIE

AMISH APPLE BUTTER PIE 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups apple butter
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
Whipped cream
9-inch unbaked pie crust

In a large bowl, stir together apple butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in eggs. Gradually add evaporated milk, mixing well.
Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Bake in a 350 degrees oven 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack. If you like, serve with whipped cream.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, CINNAMON BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PECANS AND CRANBERRIES

This easy Thanksgiving side dish is not only delicious and bursting with Fall and... Holiday flavors (cinnamon, maple syrup), it’s also healthy, gluten free, vegetarian, and packed with fiber!

 INGREDIENTS:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 and ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:
 2 cups pecan halves
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Roasted Brussels sprouts:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

 Roasted butternut squash:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

 _Note:_You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven – that’s what I did.

 Assembly:
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.

LOADED SMASHED SWEET POTATOES

Prep time:  10 minutes
Total time:  60 minutes
Serves:  12

A great appetizer that combines the light sweetness of sweet potatoes and traditional loaded potato toppings!

Recipe by Nick Evans 

Ingredients:

2 strips thick bacon
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into quarters 

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

Fresh chives

Directions

• Cook bacon until crispy, either in a skillet or baked in the oven. Once the bacon is crispy, let cool and chop into bits for topping. Set aside. 
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut off the ends of the sweet potatoes, then cut them into quarters. Pour olive oil on a baking sheet and rub potatoes on both sides to coat. Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Bake potato pieces for 25-30 minutes until they are fork tender. Then let cool briefly until you can handle them.
• Use a small plate to smash each potato down a bit. Return smashed potatoes to baking sheet.
• Bake smashed potatoes a second time for 10 minutes to crisp them up a bit.
• Remove potatoes from oven and top with sour cream, shredded cheese, crispy bacon bits, and fresh chives.

BOTTOM OF THE CEREAL BOX COOKIES

Thanks to Betty Crocker for this recipe.

 

Prep time:  40 minutes
Servings:  30

Ingredients:
1 pouch (1 lb, 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3 cups total of Trix, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs and/or Corn Chex cereal (including cereal crumbs)

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350*F.  In large mixing bowl mix cookie mix, butter, and egg until soft dough forms.  Stir in cereal.

2.   Drop and shape dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

GRILLED CHICKEN

Food has a wonderful texture and finish to it when it's been cooked in a grill pan.  always make sure you cook the meat thoroughly.  You can eat this dish hot or cold.



Prep time:  45 minutes plus chilling
Cook time:  25 minutes
Serves:  4

Ingredients:
2 tsp. paprika
5 tbsp. olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, each about 5 1/2 oz. (150g)
14 oz (400g) baby new potatoes, cut in half, if necessary
2 scallions, finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Equipment:
large shallow dish
tablespoon
plastic wrap
grill pan
tongs
small sharp knife
cutting board
medium saucepan
colander
large glass bowl

1.  Mix the paprika and 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dish.  Add the chicken and spoon over the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2.  Heat a grill pan until it is very hot.  Reduce the heat to medium and place 2 chicken breasts in the pan.  Grill for 6 minutes on one side.

3.  Carefully turn the chicken over using tongs.  Spoon over a little of the marinade and then cook for 6 minutes, or until cooked through.  Grill the remaining chicken.

4.  Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, or until they are tender.

5.  Drain the pototes and let them cool in a bowl.  Add the mint.  When cool, add the tomaotes and scallions to the potatoes.

6.   Mix the olive oil and lemon juice together, using a fork.  Then pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to mix.

MINI FISH CAKES

Serve these bite-sized fish cakes on toothpicks to make them easier to dip in the creamy lemon mayonnaise.

 

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  9 minutes
Makes:  24

Ingredients:
14 oz (400 g) fresh almon filets
14 oz (400 g) cooked potato 
2 oz (50 g) frozen peas, defrosted
5 1/2 oz (150 g) fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
2 eggs, beaten
sunflower oil for frying

For the lemon mayonnaise:
1 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

Equipment: 
medium saucepan or frying pan with lid
4 mixing bowls
3 metal spoons
plate
nonstick frying pan
spatula

1.  Place the fish in the pan.  Add a little water and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.  Let cool, then flake, removing any skin and bones.

2.  Place the potato, peas, and salmon in a bowl.  Mix gently until combined and season to taste.

3.  Mix the bread crumbs with the parsley and place on a plate.

4.  Place a heaping teaspoon of the salmon mixture in your hands, roll into a ball, then flatten.  Dip into the egg, then coat in the bread crumb mixture.

5.  Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes for 203 minutes on each side until golden.

6.  Mix together the mayonnaise with the lemon zest and juice.  Transfer to a bowl.  Serve the fish cakes warm or cold on toothpicks with the dip.