From Susi, Braised Chicken with Peanut Sauce.

Yummy recipe that I made for dinner tonight. I am watching my calories and so this is a Weight Watcher recipe!

Ingredients:
2 t olive oil
6 (1/4 lb.) chiken breast halves, it didn't say so I used boneless/skinless
1 Lg onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1 C reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 (6 oz can) tomato paste
1/4 Cup reduced fat peanut butter, OK, I used the regular Skippy.
2 t lemon juice
3 C hot cooked white rice
3 T chopped dry roasted peanuts

1-Heat the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Tranfer to a plate.

2-Add the ohnion and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the bell pepper, cumin, curry powder, oregano, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant , about 2 minutes.

3-Add the broth and tomato paste; bring to a boil, stirring to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

4-Combine the peanut butter with some of the liquid from the Dutch oven; mix to form a smooth paste. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer , stirring constantly. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve with the rice and sprinkle with the peanuts.

We both liked this very much....fyi, one chicken breast with rice and 1/2 cup of sauce is 8 points WW.

The Best Tortellini Ever!

Boil tortellini according to pkg

The sauce

One pound pork and beef sausage links-sliced into thin rounds
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C butter
1 C fresh spinach
1 tsp pesto-tubular
1 tsp sun dried tomato-tubular
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Can stewed tomatos
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 Cabernet-optional
1 C cream
1/2 cup grated english white farm cheddar
1/2 cup feta-cow based
salt and pepper to taste

drain the olives.

Saute sausage-onion in the butter. Add pesto, sundried tomato, garlic, and stewed tomatoes. Mix gently. Add cream. let come to a bubbling simmer, turn down the heat a bit. Add the spinach, gently fold. Add the cheeses and olives. Heat through and let the cheeses melt.

Blend with drained tortellini. Great Sunday afternoon dinner

Teriyaki Meatballs

One bottle teriyaki sauce
One can of pineapple chunks
1/4 c of brown sugar

One bag of pre-made meatballs.

mix all together. Heat thoroughly...Watch it get devoured. This can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish. For a main dish, steamed rice is an excellent choice for a side dish.

It is even better with thinly sliced onion or even bell pepper

Deviled Ham Pate`

What is a Pate? It is minced meat mixed with a "fat" to a spreadable consistency.

This deviled ham Pate is minced ham(put through the food processor) mixed with Mayo and minced green onion. It is not smooth. It is delicious and almost anyone who tastes it LOVES it.

Three ingredients. Simple, yet delicious and delightful to the taste. It is wonderful in a sandwich, on crackers, on small cocktail rolls, on dark rye bread, and I have actually seen folks eat it with a fork.

Ingredients for filling a medium size mold-It is moldable and holds it shape which is very nice.

2.5 lbs of a good deli ham- note that you can use leftover spiral ham
1.5 c mayo
1 bunch green onion

Process Ham in food processor until finely chopped. I chop the green onion separately. Mix all three ingredients together and press into a plastic wrapped lined mold.

garnish with sliced black olives or whole black olives.

Confetti Chili

Confetti Chili was on the menu yesterday.

1 lb of finely sliced pork

2 lb of finely sliced beef

cup of onion chopped coarsely

add 2 TBLS of minced Garlic


brown all of this in a melted stick of butter in a nice sized dutch oven

Add Dark Chili powder-2 TBLS Add Light Chili powder-2 TBLS

Add 2 TBLS ground cumin

Add almost 1/4 C of Masa (corn tortilla flour)

Add 1 Can Chopped tomatoes- do not drain

1 C liquid- water or a liquid of your choice

1 drained can each of the following, Black Beans, Light red Beans, Dark Red Beans, Pinto Beans

a pound of yellow Cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

I added about 1 tsp of smoked salt.

Let this simmer on low for about an hour, The tomatoes pop, the broth is thickened. and it is ready to go.


This was perfect for a rainy blustery day yesterday...And the best part...it is perfect warmed up today.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

2 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
2/3 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. evaporated milk
4 chicken breasts, cooked & diced
1/2 C. shredded cheese (any type)( It looks gorgeous with a yellow sharp)
1 T. lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 t. curry powder(optional)
1 C. bread crumbs(optional)

Cook broccoli according to package directions and drain well. Place in a
lightly greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish and top with chicken. Combine
remaining ingredients (except bread crumbs), stirring well.

Spoon mixture over chicken. Top with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Corn Dip

4 cans Green Giant MexiCorn
1 sm can chopped green chilies
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 whole bunch green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayo
8 oz. sour cream
Tblspn cumin
Tblspn chili powder

Mix and chill.

Classic Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup apples chopped, (Granny smith or a Sweet tart apple or a combination of different tart apples)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

Sprinkle apples with lemon juice after they are cut
Add all other ingredients.

Toss to coat all pieces with mayonnaise.

Big D and I were talking about this just last night...and how having one would be really good...Think I will make it today.

There is a site on line http://www.kitchenproject.com/history that has classic recipes if you are looking for some kind of comfort food from days gone by

Pasta Fagioli ala Mento

1 lb ground beef
1 lb italian sausage
1 C bacon cooked-crumbled
14 ounces baby carrots
1 + C onion chopped
1 C bell pepper chopped
1 1/2 C Chopped Celery
1 quart homestock tomato soup or 1 quart tomato juice
48 oz diced canned tomatos with garlic and basil
2 Cans dark red kidney beans
1 Can light red kidney beans
1 quart Chicken Stock-add as needed to the thickness you want it
Italian seasoning to taste
minced garlic to taste
Kosher Salt- to taste
Pepper-to taste
black olives are totally optional...I just love them.
1 lb ounces dry pasta (salads, shells whatevers)
couple dashes of tabasco

cook beef, sausage, bacon till browned. add veges.

Just start throwing in everything---EXCEPT the pasta. That is last if you are cooking for a long time.

Broccoli Shrimp Lasagna...a contribution from Trudy of Iowa

I live in Iowa. How then, you might ask, do I get shrimp that's fresh enough to do anything good with it? During the fair weather months, a man who lives in Minnesota drives down to the gulf coast regularly and buys fresh seafood there, filling coolers in his big truck. Then he makes his way back up to the midwest, stopping in towns who otherwise would be hard-pressed to get unfrozen seafood. It's mostly shrimp and crab, and sometimes red snapper or some other fish, but it's so nice to get it fresh! Sometimes I buy several pounds and then freeze it in such a way that it doesn't taste like it has been, after being thawed. (You fill a big gallon-size ziplock with the shrimp, then cover them with enough water that they will be locked inside the ice block, immune from freezer-burn. Below is a recipe we had recently, containing some of that great shrimp.

Broccoli Shrimp Lasagna:

6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained, then rinsed in hot water.
3 TBSP margarine
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. scallions, or green onions, sliced
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. thyme (dried)
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
2 1/2 c. skim milk
1 c. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 pound broccoli florets
2 1/2 c. lowfat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound shrimp, cooked and deveined
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

Melt margarine in med. saucepan over med. heat. Stir in flour, onions, salt, dry mustard, thyme and ground cayenne. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture is bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat. Add monterey jack cheese, stir until melted.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan (3 qt) baking dish, layer 1/2 c. sauce, 3 noodles, all of the broccoli, the mushrooms, 1/2 c. of the cheddar cheese and 1 c. sauce.

Top with remaining noodles, all of the shrimp, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, the remaining sauce and then the remaining cheese on the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Florentine Pizza(women like it according to Trudy!)

This was a contribution from Trudy.

I say women like this because my husband isn't crazy aboutit, being a traditional pepperoni guy, but all the women I've served it to said it was great. Again, it's an altered recipe that I tweaked (started out as a sandwich).

Ingredients:
1 10-oz. can Pillsbury refrigerated pizza crust
1 9-oz. pkg frozen spinach
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 TBSP olive oil
1 c. red onion, chopped or slivered
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP vinegar (cider, red wine or balsamic)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 c. Italian salad dressing
6 4-inch slices Provolone cheese
1 t. Italian dressing mix powder

Place chicken breasts in cake pan and pour Italian dressing over them, turning to coat both sides (if they are more than an inch thick, cut them in half across or flatten with rolling pin between plastic or waxed paper).
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or cook in frying pan until tender. Cool enough to handle and chop.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll pizza dough, place in 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Starting at center, press out dough to edges of pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. cool for at least 15 minutes or completely.
Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package. Drain well; squeeze dry with paper towels.
In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, 1 t. Italian dressing powder, and minced garlic clove. Refrigerate.
Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook and stir 2-3 minuts or until crisp-tender. Add sugar and vinegar. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3-5 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.
Spread mayonnaise mixture over pizza crust. Next, layer cheese slices to cover. Then add onions, chicken and spinach. Broil for about three minutes or until golden-brown and serve immediately.

Argentine Chicken

A tasty winter meal, but also good in summer when sweet corn is freshly available.

This serves four.

Ingredients:
one whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in chunks.
salt and pepper to taste
1 TBSP virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 med to large tomatoes, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. marjoram
2 cups frozen whole kernel corn or kernels shaved off fresh cobs
1 small onion, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet and add chicken, turning for even cooking, and remove when tender. Keep warm. Saute onion and garlic in skillet. Add tomatoes, bay leaf and marjoram; simmer 10 minutes. Add corn and chicken and heat through, mixing well with sauce.

New Crazy Dessert

dedicated to Big D and his obsession for a good Cream Pie Shake that has Chocolate, Coconut and Banana in it.

Tonight we had company for dinner and I needed a new dessert But I didn't have time to make a pie, so I improvised.

I took a pie crust mix that you add water to and added about 3/4 C powdered sugar and 1/2 C chopped pecans and the customary 1/3 C water...mixed it and pressed into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Baked it at 400 for about 10-15 minutes...let it cool.

I then took a cooked coconut pie filling recipe and made it according to the recipe(this one needed eggs, butter and vanilla). To this mixture I added two bananas, mashed. Cooked this mixture till it was thick. spread it out on the crust. placed this in the Fridge to cool

Then I took a cook and serve Chocolate pudding and mixed that up according to directions, well almost. I mixed with whipping cream instead of milk and cooked it. When it was thick, spread it out on top of the banana coconut topping. Put it back in the Fridge to cool.

Believe it or not this was all done in less than an hour and dessert was ready when dinner was over(got home after 5) Used a little canned whipped cream to decorate each piece and it was a hit.

A great weight watchers recipe from Susi.

I got this recipe from a Weight Watchers cookbook. I served it to guests and one man went back for 3rds and requested the recipe. It is not beautiful on the plate but is fine with the right accompaniments/sides. It is one of my most successful recipes. Be warned that the key is the overnight marinade (or 8 hours)! I am including the WW information too.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 Minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
8 (1/4 pound) skinless boneless chicken thighs (OK, I used breasts.)
1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
3/4 C chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup raisins
12 stuffed pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved
2 T packed brown sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T dried basil
1 T drained capers
1 T olive oil
2 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 C reduced-sodium chicken broth

1-Combine the chicken, artichokes, dates, raisins, olvies, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, basil, capers, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a large zip lock bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag, turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally at least 8 hours or overnight.

2-Preheat the oven to 350 F. Remove the chicken from the marinate and arrange in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Pour the marinate over the chicken, add the broth. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 35-45 minutes. (I found it took longer with the chicken breasts.)

Per serving-1 thigh with about 1/2 c sauce: 287 calories, 11g Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 76 mg Chol, 623 mg Sod, 25g Carb, 3 g Fib, 23g Protein, 44 mg Calc. POINTS: 6

Serve with brown rice and increase points by 2.

PS-This is a great leftover meal too.

Market Street Grill Clam chowder

This is from my friend Susi again...This is the yummy clam chowder recipe that they serve at a fabulous restaurant in SLC called Market Street Grill. We somehow got the recipe out of them. Enjoy!

Market Street Clam Chowder

One cup diced potatoes
One cup diced celery
One cup diced onions
One cup diced green pepper
One cup diced leeks
¾ cup chopped clams
¾ tbsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tbsp salt
¾ tbsp whole thyme
6 bay leaves
One tsp Tabasco
¾ cup sherry
Two cups water
¾ cup clam juice
¾ cup melted butter
One cup flour
Two quarts half & half

Combine melted butter and flour in oven-proof container and bake at 325 for 30 minutes. In large saucepan, combine remaining ingredients except half & half. Simmer until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Stir butter-flour mixture into
Chowder and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat. Stir in half & half until blended. Heat to serving temperature. Stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 servings

Sweet and Sour chicken

This one was a contribution from Barbara Pease!

preheat oven to 350 degrees

one chicken cut up
one bottle Russian Salad Dressing
one package onion soup mix
one jar Apricot Preserves

Mix Salad Dressing, soup mix and preserves. Pour over chicken and cook for about 1 hour.

Serve over rice.

It's GOOD

Twist on Pasta Salad

This is from my friend Susi K L...

This is a great pasta salad that I found on the internet. I searched for something to do with smoked mozzarella cheese. I substitute 'meat' tortellini with Italian sausage and if I have any vegetarians, just use cheese tortellini. EASY and delicious and especially nice with fresh basil. CHEERS.

Tortellini-Mozzarella Salad
Source: Cooking at a Glance - Pasta

Makes 4 main-dish servings


If you need to make the salad ahead of time, reserve the mozzarella and add it right before serving time so it doesn't become mushy or rubbery.

INGREDIENTS
5 ounces dried or 10 ounces fresh meat-filled tortellini
1 1/2 cups cubed plain or smoked mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
1/2 of a medium red or yellow sweet pepper, cubed
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil or salad oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 small head radicchio, divided into leaf cups, or 4 leaf lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan or pasta pot bring 3 quarts water to boiling. Add pasta. Reduce heat slightly. Boil, uncovered, 15 minutes for dried pasta and 8-10 minutes for fresh, or till al dente, stirring occasionally. (Or, cook according to package directions.) Immediately drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again thoroughly.


In a medium mixing bowl combine cooked tortellini, mozzarella cheese, and red or yellow sweet pepper.


In a screw-top jar combine basil, oil, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. Cover; shake well. Pour over pasta mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients with dressing. Serve salad in radicchio cups or on lettuce leaves.

French Toast Casserole

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Comment by Trudy on August 10, 2008 at 3:53pm

Delete CommentI am definitely going to try this recipe, since it sounds awesome.

Chimichangas ala Mento

1 lb stew meat stripped in small (very small) pieces
4 larger flour tortillas
Onion-minced dehydrated 1-2 Tb
onion salt- to taste
2 beef bullion cubes
garlic-minced 1-2 tsp
garlic salt to taste
CUMIN- about 1 TB maybe more to taste
flour to thicken the gravy, dredge the meat in it.

Brown the beef and then make the gravy after the meat is cooked. 1/4 lb(or there abouts) of the meat and gravy mixture in a tortilla and fold it so the meat is totally enclosed. may need a toothpick to hold it together. Deep fry it(yes deep fry it)

Then...you will need the following

sour cream
shredded lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped tomatoes
and guacamole
and of course salsa

after the chimi is deep fried, spread 2 TB sour cream on top, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole on the side...and if you like sliced black olives(totally optional)

This is the way BIG D loves his chimis=without everything else thrown in the center of it. This was the way he always ate them as a kid in Arizona. We had them a couple of times at restaurants in Az when we were first married and then I decided that I needed to recreate the recipe. So, yah...pretty much recreating recipes is something I love to do...been doing it for years. This was the first of many to come.

Heavenly FUDGE SAUCE-another grammylight special

1/2 C butter
3 sq unsweetened chocolate
3 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tall can of evaporated milk(in other words not the little one)

melt butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over boiling water. Gradually stir in sugar. Be sure it is well incorporated before adding the next bit (about a 1/4 of a cup at a time) it will become thick and quite dry after each addition. Add the salt and slowly stir in the evaporated milk a little at a time...store in a covered jar in the fridge if there is any left after the first serving. To serve...warm in double boiler (more than likely back in 1982 we probably had no idea the joy of a microwave)

Sweet and Sour Pork one I have loved forever!

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin, cubed, bite sized or thin strips
•1 tablespoons peanut oil(unless you have folks with nut allergies)
•1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks or tidbits in juice
•1/4 cup vinegar
•1/4 cup soy sauce( can use less)
•1/4 cup brown sugar
•1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste, more or less)
•2 tablespoons cornstarch
•2 tablespoons water
•1/2 cup thinly sliced onion (usually more)
•1 green pepper, cut in thin strips
•2 cups hot cooked rice
Directions for sweet and sour pork
Cut pork slices into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Sauté pork strips in hot oil over medium heat until lightly browned; drain. add onion and green pepper.Drain pineapple; reserve juice. Combine pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt; pour over pork in skillet. Cover and simmer until meat is tender. In a cup, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to pork mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add pineapple chunks, Cover and simmer sweet and sour pork for 5 minutes longer, or until pineapple is hot. Serve sweet and sour pork over rice.
Sweet and sour pork recipe serves 4 to 6 depending on how hungry everybody is...

Green Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas- I love cooking! Absolutely Love it. This is one of the dishes that I qualify as something easy, with so many choices to add to it if you want to, so many ways to finish the product!

3 cooked chicken breasts (shred the meat)
1 cup sour cream
4 cups shredded cheese
1 Hatch Green Enchilada sauce
3 green onions (chopped small)(optional)
Fresh corn tortillas

Shred the chicken and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the sour cream and green enchilada sauce. Add half of the sauce to the shredded chicken. Butter a pan. Fill the tortilla with chicken mixture and some cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook at 350 for 20-30 minutes.


Even easier...after buttering the pan...layer corn tortillas still fresh ones(torn into quarters or smaller pieces) with the sauce...kind of like a Mexican Lasagna!

chicken tenders with spinach and artichoke dip on it...baked.

take about a 1 C of the spinach and artichoke dip from either Sam's or Costco, add about a C of ricotta cheese and about a C shredded Mozzarella and 1/2 tsp of fresh chopped Garlic...mix well. Spoon on top of frozen chicken tenders(cover them with the mixture) and bake at 350 for 45 minutes(8 tenders) Oh my goodness...food out of this world. Big D really liked it and so did I. It would probably work for chicken breasts...

again...Best part...all of this is on our diets...filling yet no heavy duty carbs.

Lettuce wraps...you know the kind I mean...the yummy kind like at PF Changs or the Asian Star...so I decided to make some...

Chicken thighs(seasoned) I used 6 pre seasoned fajita thighs- cut into squares-strips-smaller pieces
1 bunch green onion- finely chopped
2 single stalks of celery sliced(not the whole stalk just two out of the bunch)
1-2 tsp of minced garlic
1 can of diced water chestnuts.
Salt to taste
Sassy Sesame Garlic marinade(1/4 c)
Sesame Oil or peanut oil to fry in...your choice...I did a combo of both.

Stir fry all this. When the meat is cooked through...pulse in food processor just a couple of times.

Serve in crisp lettuce with Plum sauce or don't use the plum sauce...or use rice wrappers...


Best part...all of this is on our diets...filling yet no heavy duty carbs.

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

2 ½ c. flour
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 c. chopped pecans
48 Rolo chewy caramels
1 T. sugar
4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, if desired


Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; blend well. In large bowl, beat 1 c. sugar, brown sugar nd margarine until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in ½ cup of the pecans. For each cookie, with floured hands shape about 1 tablespoon dough around 1 caramel candy, covering completely.

In small bowl, combine remaining ½ c. pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place nut side up 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely on wire rack.

Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Calicocat’s Potato Salad

1 lb diced cooked bacon
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped onion/green onion
2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
8 cups cubed cooked red potatoes

Fry bacon; drain.crumble. mix sour cream, mayo, celery, onion and about half of the dry ranch dressing. Add this dressing to the potatoes and bacon. Chill. 12 servings.

I have been known to add sliced black olives to the mix...and it isn't a bad addition, but this recipe stands on its own.

Comment by calicocat2 on August 4, 2008 at 4:13pm

Delete CommentNot exactly my dressing. I use all mayo with a couple tbles sour cream and white wine vinegar added. and about half of a package of ranch dressing mix. but it's still good either way. And lately, I have been using 2 kinds of potatoes for different textures

Cream Corn. This was served with the BBQ. IT IS NOTHING LIKE Canned Creamed Corn. THIS IS HEAVENLY and I am sure will be served in heaven.

2 lbs of frozen corn-sweet yellow or white- either or. Cannot be canned corn.
3 C of whipping cream
1 stick of butter
chicken bullion (1-2 Tblsp)* I use knorr because it is not in a hard cube
salt/pepper to taste
sugar 1-2 tsps
2-3 Tblsp of flour

Step 1: I actually microwave the corn first for a few minutes to take it from a totally frozen state, not long, just 2-4 minutes.
Step 2: In large pot(like a dutch oven) combine the cream, butter, bullion, and flour(don't let it get lumpy) you may want less flour...but don't go for more.
Step 3: Once everything is incorporated together add the salt/pepper/sugar(more of less of that one is okay also, but it does need to be there)
Step 4: Add the corn and let this thicken on low
Step 5: Serve and watch it disappear.

Now...this is a recipe for Creamed Corn like no other. The calories are intensely high but oh so rich and wonderful. My family was desperately missing "Rudy's" Creamed Corn when we lived in Utah, so truly necessity became the mother of invention and I recreated the recipe.

Comment by calicocat2 on August 4, 2008 at 5:40pm

Delete CommentI've had both yours and Rudy's and your is MUCH better than Rudy's!