Cashew Pea Salad

Vegetables are not always a favorite food, especially with children. That having been said, it is so important to look for ways to make them as appealing and inviting as possible. Changing our mindset about a vegetables place and adding them to a salad, or making them into the salad, can be a new taste adventure. I love the combination of peas and cashews, but I haven't been very happy with the recipes that I have tried over the years, so I attempted some new twists on an old theme. We liked the results; maybe you will as well. Blessings... 

Recipe:

1 16-oz. pkg. frozen petite peas, thawed

1 cup cashew pieces

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1. Drain peas on paper toweling so water doesn't dilute dressing.

2. Whisk together lemon juice, mayonnaise and curry powder in a serving bowl; add peas and cashews and stir to coat. Serve immediately. If not serving immediately, leave the cashews out of the salad and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add the cashews. The cashews will soften if left for too long in the dressing.

Yield: about 6 servings

Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

Today's recipe is for the only cookies on the plate; they are pictured on the far left. The recipe for these cookies was a  reader contributed recipe to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine back in 1981, for which my husband will be forever grateful. The cookie base is a rich buttery dough to which a cherry is pressed into and then a candy-like frosting is added on top. These rich cookies are worthy of any special occasion. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1-1/2 tsps. vanilla
48 undrained maraschino cherries (about 2 10-oz. jars)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6-oz pkg.)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until well mixed. Add egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
3. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until completely combined. Dough will be stiff.
4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press down center of each ball with thumb.
5. Drain maraschino cherries, reserving juice. Place one cherry in the center of each cookie.
6. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Heat and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in about 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. You don't want the icing to be too thin and can add more juice if the icing gets too thick as it cools. Spoon about 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
7. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Let cool on pans for about 2 minutes until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 48-52 cookies
Note: You will have 3/4 cup of the sweetened condensed milk remaining which is perfect for half of a recipe of the Peanut Squares Candy posted earlier. Also, I add any remaining frosting from the cookies to the chocolate mixture for the Peanut Squares, as well. It is all made of the same stuff and works great to have no little bits leftover.

Peanut Pralines

Today's recipe for the Peanut Pralines is the candy pictured second from the left. This recipe does need the use of a candy thermometer but you do not need to stir the mixture continuously, so it isn't extremely labor intensive. The end results are well worth your effort. This candy is one of our favorites from Taste of Home; hopefully it will become a favorite in your household, as well. Blessings...

Recipe: 

2-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 tbsps. peanut butter
1 tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2-1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts

1. In a 2-3 qt. saucepan, combine the sugar, buttermilk and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
2. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 234-240 degrees (soft-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Do watch the pan as the mixture will bubble up until it begins to thicken. When the temperature gets to 230 degrees, stir continuously so the syrup doesn't burn.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter, vanilla, baking soda and peanuts; stir rapidly until the mixture is thickened and creamy. This will take about 5 minutes.
4. Drop mixture quickly by tablespoons onto waxed paper-lined or lightly buttered baking sheets, shaping into patties.
5. Let stand until cool and set. Store in an airtight container. Delicious!

Yield: 35 pieces, about 2-1/2 pounds of candy
152 calories each
less than 1 gm. fiber

Peanut Squares

Today's recipe is for the Peanut Squares, which is the candy on the right of the plate. This recipe is so easy that I really didn't expect it to be so good, but it sure is. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups dry roasted peanuts
2-1/2 tbsps. butter
2 cups (12 oz. pkg,) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows

1. Place half the peanuts in an ungreased 11" x 7" x 2" baking pan; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from the heat.
3. Add milk and marshmallows; stir until melted. Pour over peanuts.
4. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top and gently press down a bit. Refrigerate until chilled through and set. Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.

Yield: 4-5 dozen pieces

Double Chocolate Fudge

This plate of goodies was my gift to my hubby for Valentine's Day this year. These recipes are usually a part of my Christmas kitchen, but I just couldn't get them done this past year, so I surprised my hubby this week by preparing them and sending some to work with him so he could share with his co-workers. The goodies are from left to right; Chocolate Cherry Cookies, Peanut Pralines, Dbl. Chocolate Fudge and Peanut Squares. Today's recipe will be for the fudge, which is a wonderful recipe because there is no candy thermometer needed, but the candy is rich and creamy; not dry and hard. This recipe comes from Taste of Home Magazine. I think your loved ones will enjoy these treats as much as my hubby said his co-workers did. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 tsps. plus 2 tbsps. butter, divided (no substitutes)
4-1/2 cups sugar
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
Pinch salt
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme
2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
3 pkgs. (4 oz. each) German sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 cups broken pecans or walnuts, optional

1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with foil. Grease the foil with 1-1/2 tsps butter; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, salt and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in marshmallow creme until beginning to melt.
4. Stir in chips and German sweet chocolate until melted. Add nuts if desired; mix well.
5. Pour into the prepared pan. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. I have found that it takes about 4 hours to set.
6. Using foil, remove fudge from pan and place on cutting board. Cut into 1-in squares. Remove from foil and store in air-tight container.

Yield: 5 pounds
Note: Chocolate does not need to be stored in the refrigerator unless it is a dessert that is made with cream cheese or whipping cream. Chilling chocolate decreases the flavor.

Yummy Spinach Salad

The recipe for the vinaigrette for this yummy salad comes from Smuckers.com. via my local newspaper a few weeks ago, the salad idea comes from what was in my pantry and fridge when I needed to get dinner on the table the other night. The recipe creator at Smuckers gives several different suggestions using their jams; I just adapted to what I had on hand. Blessings with your creativity!

Recipe for basic vinaigrette:

2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. water
1-1/2 tsps. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil or oil of choice

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients.
2. Slowly pour oil into dressing ingredients whisking all the while until thoroughly combined.

For this spinach salad, whisk in:
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 tsp. minced crystallized ginger.

Salad:

1 bag (10 oz.) fresh baby spinach
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 - 1/2 cup cashew pieces, to your taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese, to your taste
1 can (10 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

Combine salad ingredients in serving bowl and add desired amount of dressing. Toss and serve.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Slow Cooker Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Valentine's Day conjures up images of roses, chocolate, and dinners out, but in today's economy these things may not be affordable. There have been many Valentine's Day celebrations in our marriage that I was the chef because of unemployment or because there simply wasn't the money in the budget to go out. Since I enjoy cooking, this was never a problem for me; these times gave me an opportunity to get creative. With the addition of a pretty table clothe on the table and china and crystal, our evening meal was no longer a typical meal. My husband and son have always had their favorite dinner and dessert requests, so it was easy to make our meal special. If your family has been hit by the economic down-turn, this chicken dish may just be the ticket to a delicious Valentine's Day dinner celebration for you and your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

6 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices fully cooked ham

6 slices Swiss cheese

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup oil for frying

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 cup chicken broth

rice, pasta or mashed potatoes

1. Flatten chicken to 1/8-inch thickness by pounding with a meat mallet between sheets of plastic wrap. I save empty cereal box liners for this purpose. They are much sturdier and do not tear apart as easily as plastic wrap.

2. Place a piece of ham and slice of cheese on each breast. Roll up and tuck in ends; secure with a toothpick.

3. Combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, sage, paprika and pepper in a pie plate; coat chicken on all sides.

4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. This step is very important.

5. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. Transfer to a slow cooker.

6. Combine soup and broth; pour over the chicken.

7. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Remove toothpicks and serve with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Yield: 6 ample servings

Slow Cooker Chicken Quesadillas

This wonderful recipe comes from The Electric Kitchen via our monthly utility bill. The slow cooker is an energy saver, as well as a time saver and does a great job with almost any type of food. When it's time for dinner, the only prep left is to slice avocado, shred the cheese, if you haven't purchased packaged shredded cheese, and the assembling of the quesadillas. This is a simple, delicious Mexican meal that can be as low in fat and calories as you would like it to be by using low-fat sour cream, cheese and flour tortillas. We loved them, blessings...

Recipe:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
2 (14 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used 1-2 tsp. minced Nacho Jalapenos that I had in the fridge)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. pepper
olive oil for frying, if desired
10-12 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups shredded jack cheese or more, if needed
low-fat sour cream
salsa
2 avocados, chopped

1. Combine chicken, black beans, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, chicken broth, cumin and pepper in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. In a heavy skillet, heat 1/2 tsp. oil over medium heat. If you don't want to use oil, simply heat the skillet.
3. Place one tortilla in pan and layer 1/4 cup shredded cheese and 1 cup chicken mixture. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup cheese over the chicken and top with another tortilla. When bottom tortilla is lightly brown and cheese has melted, flip quesadilla and cook on the opposite side.
4. Remove quesadilla from skillet and cut into quarters. Repeat process.
5. Serve with salsa, sour cream and avocado.

Yield: 5-6 whole quesadillas, depending on the size of chicken breasts used and the amount of chicken mixture used per serving.

Potato Soup, Florentine Style

This is another of the many recipes for the slow cooker that come from Mable Hoffman's excellent book, "Crockery Cookery", that are a regular part of our dinner menus. This soup is a meal-in-a-bowl for a busy weeknight dinner. A crusty Italian bread for dipping into the broth is a wonderful accompaniment. I prefer the chopped ham over the ham hocks for less fat and be sure to get the spinach out of the freezer to thaw while the soup cooks. The spinach isn't added until the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
1 cup chopped onion
1 smoked ham hock (about 1 lb.) or 1 cup chopped ham
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (9-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (see note)
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese

1. In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, ham hock or ham, broth, mustard, seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until potatoes are soft.
3. Remove ham hock; chop meat and discard fat and bone. Return meat to cooker.
4. Turn control to high. Add drained spinach. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes.
5. Spoon hot soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yummy!

Yield: 7-3/4 cups
Note: Place frozen spinach in a mesh strainer over a bowl and let sit to thaw. When thawed, press out excess water with the back of a wooden spoon. This makes the job so much easier.

Tex-Mex Dip

My plan was to post this wonderful recipe last week before the Super Bowl but, life got in the way, so I'm going to move forward with the post and it will be available for other gatherings of family and friends to come. This is our family's favorite of favorites. We love it; maybe it will become a favorite of your family, as well. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cans (9 oz. each) bean dip
3 avocados, peeled
2 tbsps. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) taco seasoning (see note)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sliced ripe olives (2 3-1/2 oz. cans, drained)
4 green onions with tops, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped and seeded
Tortilla chips

1. Spread bean dip on a 12-inch serving plate.
2. In a small bowl, mash the avocados with lemon juice and pepper; spread over bean dip.
3. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and taco seasoning; spread over the avocado layer.
4. Sprinkle with cheese, olives, onions and tomato.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Yield: 8-10 servings
Note: 2 tbsps. Southwest seasoning can be used in place of taco seasoning, if you have it.