Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

DIRECTIONS:

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In electric mixer, beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup light-brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between each addition. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until fully combined. Remove from mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup light-brown sugar.

Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 1 teaspoon peanut-butter mixture. Top with a second scoop of dough, and carefully mold dough to cover "surprise."

Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks.

Caesar Pockets

Pizza and Breadsticks

INGREDIENTS:

2 T yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 T sugar

1/2 cup milk
3 cup very warm water
3 T oil or melted butter
3 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

11-12 cups of flour

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DIRECTIONS:

Mix first three ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Mix next 5 ingredients in electric mixer. Add first mixture, mix. Add flour and kneed for approximately 5 minutes. Take dough out, and put in a greased bowl. Put towel over the bowl and let dough raise until it has doubled, around an hour. Divide into 4 pieces for 4 full sized pizza's.


Classic Pepperoni Pizza:
Spread tomato sauce over pizza. Sprinkle basil and garlic powder, or Italian seasoning. Top with mozzarella cheese. Spread with Pepperoni.
Healthy Pizza:
Spread french onion dip over pizza. Sprinkle basil and garlic powder, or Italian seasoning. Cover entire pizza with one layer of spinach. Then add chopped green peppers, sliced mushrooms, and top with Canadian bacon.

Breadsticks:
Roll dough out 1/4 inch thick. Slice with pizza cutter to desired length. Take two pieces and wrap one around the other. Brush on a generous amount of melted butter. Sprinkle garlic powder.

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OPTIONS:

Divide dough into 6-8 pieces for smaller individual pizzas.
Make pizzas and then freeze.

Bake fresh at 425 for 15 minutes. For frozen pizzas, bake for 20-25 minutes.

Crunch Oriental Beef Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
2 TBS each: vegetable oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar (I just used "Rice Vinegar" I don't know if it's the same thing or not, but it tasted great)
1/2 cup water
1 cup each: thinly sliced celery and shredded red cabbage
4 green onions, sliced
1 package (3 oz) beef flavor Ramen noodles
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp each: instant beef bouillon and garlic powder
1 head romain, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 TBS toasted sesame seeds*
Ginger dressing (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS:
Partially freeze flank steak by placing in freezer two hours prior to preparation time (this isn't a MUST-it is only to make it easier to cut, I didn't do it today and was just fine). Make marinade by combining water, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, bouillon granules, and garlic powder; mix well. Stir in beef flavor packet from soup mix. Slice steak diagonally across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices; cut slices crosswise into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place beef and marinade in plastic zip-loc bag, turning occasionally. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. Prepare Ginger dressing. Drain beef; heat large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Stir-fry beef, 1/2 at a time, 5 to 6 minutes or until brown. Remove beef from pan after each batch is cooked. Drain beef, add Ginger Dressing and toss with lettuce, celery, cabbage, almonds, and broken ramen noodle. Place in serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 6 servings.

*To toast sesame seeds, heat sesame seeds in small pan over medium heat until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into small dish to prevent further browning.

Ginger Dressing

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp ground ginger (this is in the spice section in the store)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Combine sugar, oil, salt, vinegar, ginger, and pepper in small bowl, whisk until blended. Yield: about 2/3 cup.

Easy Chicken Parmesan

DIRECTIONS:
Salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. Sauté in a little olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes a side.

Add the garlic and let cook 30 seconds or so.

Add the crushed tomatoes. Turn heat down to medium or medium low. Turn the chicken in the sauce until covered. If using dry basil go ahead and sprinkle some in now. Cover with a lid or foil and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on how big the breasts are.

When chicken is cooked through, sprinkle a few tablespoons of cheese on top of each breast. If using fresh basil, sprinkle it in now. Cover with lid and cook until cheese melts, no more than a few minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe makes 2-3 pies, depending on the size of the pie pan.

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken
1 large onion, whole--quartered
3 celery leaves
3 sprigs parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
10 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 cups water
1 pound baby carrots
15 small pearl onions, peeled
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 dashes pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 double pie crust

DIRECTIONS:
Put first 8 ingredients into pot and bring to boil and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken let cool. Remove chicken from the bones in large pieces. It should measure 5 cups. Strain stock, skim fat, and add water to make 4 cups if necessary. In stock, cook carrots and onions covered 20 minutes or until tender. Strain, liquid should measure 3 cups. In small bowl combine flour, salt and pepper. Stir in milk until smooth. Add to stock in pan; bring to boil stirring. Reduce heat simmer 8 minutes or until sauce is thick. Add chicken and vegetable, let cool and put in pie crust. Put slits in the top of the pie. Bake 375 for 45-60 minutes or until bubbly. You may freeze this pie before you bake it. Wrap up the pie in freezer foil. When you are ready to bake it take off the foil. If the pie plate is glass, put the pie in the oven first, then turn the oven to 375. Bake for at least one and half hours, possibly two, until bubbly.

Chicken and Rice

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds breasts and thighs or whole chicken
1 1/2 cups brown and wild rice
3/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 dashes granulated garlic
2 cube chicken bouillon
1 cube beef bouillon
3 tablespoons dried onions
baby carrots
3 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
Put rice in large pan, add seasonings and onions, layer baby carrots if desired, then put chicken on last. Pour water over chicken. Cover and cook at 350 for 2 hours or until rice is done. Rice is done when it has absorbed most or all liquid and is soft.

If you have a timer on your oven you can put your chicken pieces in frozen.