Cookies!

There are two of us in our house and making desserts is a challenge. We both like sweets but neither of us NEED them around for days on end. Cakes are too big, pies too time consuming ( you KNOW how I hate to make pie crust!) so cookies are usually my fall back. Most cookie dough freezes well allowing you to take out a few and have freshly baked, warm cookies in just a few minutes. That also allows for "portion control".  Form drop cookie dough into portion size pieces, freeze on a cookie sheet and when frozen toss into a freezer bag. Take out the number needed (ok, desired!) and bake adding a minute or two to the baking time.

One of my very favorite cookies is a "slice and bake" Pecan Sandie. The dough is rolled into a log and frozen, then sliced and baked! How easy and how convenient. I make these for funeral receptions at our church and several people have come to expect them. They are definitely a favorite wherever they are served.

Pecan Sandies (aka Funeral Cookies)

1 cup butter, softened (you can use butter flavor Crisco or even 1/2 butter, 1/2 Crisco) 

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup frimly packed brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl of mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir in pecans.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, stirring well. ( I use lowest speed on mixer.)

Divide dough in half; shape each half into a log 2-inches in diameter ( or smaller to make more cookies). Wrap in waxed paper; chill until firm. ( I put them in the freezer overnight. If you skip this step they will spread and be a different texture.)

Cut into 1/4-inch slices with a SHARP knife. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool on wire racks. Yield: about 5 dozen, depending on size of logs. 

The following recipe is on my "to try" list, but I thought you might like to experiment with it along with me! I'll report back on my results, meanwhile give it a try and let me know if you think it's a keeper.


Lemon Butter Cookies
2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Gradually mix in the flour until incorporated. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the tines of a fork, make cross marks in the cookies to slightly flatten them. Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until cookies are set on top and slightly golden on bottom. Transfer to cooling rack and immediately dust with powdered sugar (sugar will melt into cookies from the remaining heat). Once completely cool, dust cookies again with powdered sugar.

Simple Fettucini Alfredo

There are many recipes for Fettuccine Alfredo and all of them are loaded with butter, cream, cheese and various other calorie and fat laden ingredients. However, this very simple recipe, while not a dieter's favorite, is one that is more reasonable and sooooo quick and easy! If you're in need of a quick meal, give this one a try! Add some oven roasted broccoli or a green salad and you're done! Enjoy!!

Simple Fettuccine Alfredo

1/2 lb butter, softened

1/2 lb freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1lb fettuccine

freshly ground black pepper

Cream butter and Parmesan cheese in electric mixer. Cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain fettuccine reserving 1 cup cooking water. Combine cooked fettuccine and butter mixture in large heat proof bowl; add freshly ground black pepper to taste.. Add hot cooking water as needed to loosen pasta. Serve hot!

Butternut Squash Kale Soup

I have shared this recipe before, but with the snow and coooold weather looming, I thought it well worth sharing again. After all, there is nothing better on a cold winter day than a hearty bowl of soup! This recipe comes from my artist friend, teacher, mentor and wonderful cook - Elly Hobgood. She truly does it all! I think you will also love this recipe! 

Bake a pan of cornbread to go with this and get ready for a delicious, hearty meal. One that "sticks to your bones" as Mama would say!

Butternut Squash Kale Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

2 cloves minced garlic

3 cups diced butternut squash

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon salt

pinch cayenne pepper

4 generous sprigs fresh thyme (remove stems before serving)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 (14-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes

2 cups diced (packed) kale

1 can chickpeas or other white beans, drained and rinsed

Saute onion and carrots in oil in a large Dutch oven. Add garlic, squash, allspice, salt, pepper, thyme, broth and tomatoes. Simmer until squash begins to soften, about 20 minutes.Add  kale and chickpeas.

Cook another 10 minutes until kale has wilted.  Adjust seasonings. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan when serving, but even without that it's quite hearty. 

Provencale Chicken Supper

There are days that are entirely to busy to prepare a meal from scratch in the late afternoon. That's when a good slow cooker meal is my 'ace in the hole'! This meal could not be easier nor quicker to get started. If you are rushed in the morning, you could prep this the night before and refrigerate the slow cooker insert. Take it out in the morning and place it in the cooker, set it and go off to work or play! Now, how easy is that???

Provencale Chicken Supper
4 chicken breast halves (with bone but no skin)
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup diced yellow pepper
1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

Place chicken in slow cooker, sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Add yellow pepper, beans and tomatoes. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Serve with Basil Crostini

Basil Crostini
8 (1/4-inch) slices French bread baguette
1 garlic clove, halved
2 Tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Broil bread slices for 15 seconds or until toasted. Rub toast with garlic halves. Sprinkle with cheese and basil; broil an additional 20 seconds.

Croissant Blueberry Puff

When you live in the mountains, you naturally have lots of visitors or "houseguests" as I prefer to call them. We are blessed to live in a beautiful place and are always happy to share that blessing with family and friends. This week, we are fortunate to have dear, dear friends who have moved away to take care of an aging mother and have come back to visit with us. Just as in any good "B&B", I believe breakfast is one of the highlights of the day. And certainly important when you have a full day ahead whether it is sightseeing or visiting old friends. 

This recipe is from "The Girl Who Ate Everything" blog via Pinterest. (YES! Pinterest!!!) I have to tell you, we ALL voted it a "keeper"! It is similar to bread pudding (with blueberries), not too sweet, but different from the typical breakfast strata casserole. 

Of course, I made a couple of changes! I actually forgot to buy cream cheese but had 1/2 of an 8-oz pkg in the refrigerator. I used that and we all decided it was just right! I also used 4 croissants as they came in a pkg of 4 and were medium size. I used frozen blueberries, thawed and drained on paper towel. I would make it again and double the recipe for a 9x13-inch pan. This recipe served the 4 of us with no leftovers (it was THAT good!).

Bonus tip: To soften the cream cheese in a hurry, I placed it on top of the drip coffee maker as it brewed! The cream cheese was perfect by the time I was ready for it! 

I've been thinking about a make-ahead method for this. I believe you could cut the croissants and place them in a plastic bag, mix up the liquid and refrigerate then combine all of it along with the blueberries in the morning. I do NOT think this could be completed the night before because the blueberries would run and the mixture would be purple! If anyone tries it, let me know how it turns out. OK??

Photo and recipe from "The Girl Who Ate Everything" blog

Croissant Blueberry Puff

3 large croissants, cut up (about 5 to 5 1/2 cups)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place croissant pieces in a greased 9- inch square pan. Sprinkle with blueberries.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add milk, beating well after each addition. Pour evenly over croissant pieces. Let stand 20 minutes.
Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until set in center and golden brown. You may want to cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes if the top is getting too brown.

Cheesecake Swirled Fudge Brownies

Last weekend was my birthday but I was too sick to celebrate. Later in the week, I dreamed of warm brownies topped with ice cream and hot fudge sauce. VIOLA! A dear friend took me out to lunch for a belated celebration and just guess what we had for dessert?? Of course, the most decadent warm brownies topped with vanilla gelato and drizzled with warm fudge AND caramel sauce and sprinkled with pecans! Well, you only have a birthday once a year! The celebration was heavenly!! So, I thought I would share another favorite brownie recipe this week. 

These brownies are double chocolate and swirled with cheesecake rivers. They are truly decadent and worthy of a celebration or just a late night snack. You decide!

The only down side to this recipe is that they really need to be chilled overnight before you eat them! So, plan ahead! 

Cheesecake Swirled Fudge Brownies

2 sticks butter, melted
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs 
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with aluminum foil strips hanging over each side and the ends of the pan. This makes it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan when ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350º.

Combiner butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Mix together the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and flour and add to the butter sugar mixture. Stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

 Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Stir until well mixed.

Make long trenches in the batter with the end of a wooden spoon.  Fill the trenches with cream cheese mixture. With a knife cut rows through the batter across the trenches.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes; refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Honey Soy Baked Chicken Thighs and Oven Roasted Broccoli

Since I've had major CRUD for 3 weeks, I've been in the kitchen as little as possible. It really has not mattered what I cooked; I can taste nothing but salt! UGH! My DH (dear hubby) says this chicken tasted great. It was simple to prepare and once in the oven, I could go back to my chair and box of tissues. Just because it was easy, I put a couple of baking potatoes in the oven along side the chicken. I think it would be better with rice, but DH spooned the sauce over his potato and was happy! Toss in a pan of Oven Roasted Broccoli and your meal is complete and clean up is minimal!

Honey Soy Baked Chicken Thighs

1½ – 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (most of the fat cut off and discarded)
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional
5 Tablespoons honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 425 degrees . Line an oven-proof pan with 2 layers of foil. (I highly advise usίng foil in this dish because soy sauce & honey are STICKY and tend to adhere heavily on glass dishes when cooked at high temperatures. Unless you want to be scrubbίng forever, use the foil!)
In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlίc, ground ginger, and pepper.
Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture over. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it's coated on all sides. 
Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, checkίng occasionally to make sure the tops are not browning too quickly. If they are, cover with foil and resume baking until chicken is done.
Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate and pour sauce over chicken. 
Serve with white or brown rice and steamed veggies.

Oven Roasted Broccoli

1 bunch broccoli, separated into florets

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

Toss broccoli florets in olive oil in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and minced garlic. Spread in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is lightly browned on the edges and fork tender.