Hot Corn Dip (or Casserole Main Dish)

1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 T. minced jalapeño
2 T. sliced olives
1 c. mayonaise
1 c. grated Monterey or Pepperjack cheese
1/2 c. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Mix corn, chilies, jalapeño, olives and  red pepper in a medium bowl.  Add  mayo and stir well.  Add cheeses and stir.  Pour/spoon mixture into small casserole dish and bake at 350 until hot.  Serve with corn chips.

You can add cooked, shredded chicken to this to make it a main dish.

Cranberry Fluff - a different version

2 c. raw cranberries, ground
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. diced apples
1/2-3/4 c. chopped pecans
3 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks and sweetened to taste with powdered sugar

Combine cranberries and sugar. Cover and chill overnight. Add apples and pecans.  Fold in whipping cream. Chill.

Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

Cheddar Ranch Cheese Ball

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds or chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients, except nuts, thoroughly.  Form into one ball or two smaller balls.  Roll in nuts and refrigerate.  Serve with crackers.  This definitely tastes best when refrigerated overnight before serving.

Shelly's note:  Triple this recipe to make 9 one cup balls, although I didn't measure the nuts, just bought a huge bag and used what I needed.     

Christmas Crack

1 (12.8 oz.) box of rice chex cereal
1 (12 oz.) box golden graham cereal
1 (7 oz.) bag shredded coconut
1 (4 oz.) bag slivered almonds
1.5 cups butter (3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl and mix well.  In large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup until it comes to a "soft ball" stage.  234 degrees on cookie thermometer.

Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated.
Pour onto 2 large cookie sheets to cool.  Stir occasionally to prevent clumping.  Store in air tight container.

Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies

Cookie

1 Devil's Food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening (I use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 coconut oil and it still turns out)
Combine and roll into balls, flatten slightly, bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Frosting is the Wilton Class Buttercream Icing:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 

2 TBS. milk

In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Beat in vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.  When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add meringue powder so the frosting stiffens up.

Take part of icing and add mint extract and green food coloring.  

Add cocoa powder and more water to the rest of the icing until it tastes good and is spreadable.

Frost the cooled cookies with the mint icing, let dry (meringue powder helps with this) then frost with chocolate icing.

Meatballs for Meatball Subs

From Shelly

1 lb. extra lean turkey
1 lb. mild italian sausage
2 eggs
1/4 cup  very small diced zucchini
1/4 cup very small diced carrots
1 cup panko
onion powder, garlic powder to taste

1 TBS. italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. salt
chicken broth (3/4 cup+ per pan)

Mix all ingredients except broth.  Form into small meatballs and brown on all sides in oil.  Add 3/4 cup broth.  Cover, reduce heat to low.  Cook about 7 minutes (5 for smaller meatballs.)

Chicken Enchilada Soup..

1 can diced tomatoes
1 rotisserie chicken
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 can black beans drained
1-2 cups frozen corn
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 T lime juice
1 medium onion chopped
4 oz. diced green chili
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients in the crockpot.  Simmer.  Serve with sour cream, cheese, and scoop with tortilla chips.

Apple Crisp...

10 cups of your favorite baking apple
1 cup white sugar
1 TBS. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 - 1/4 cup water
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C)

Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.

Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry Poppyseed Bundt Cake

1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 (3.4 oz-3.9 oz) pkg. lemon instant pudding mix
1 TBS. poppy seeds
1 1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

Lemon Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 TBS. lemon juice
2 TBS. butter, melted
Fresh blueberries for decoration


Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bundt cake pan.

1.  Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps; set aside.
2.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, milk and yogurt.
3.  Add cake mix and instant pudding mix;  stir well.
4.  Stir in poppy seeds
5.  Gently fold in blueberries
6.  Dump into bundt cake and and spread evenly
7.  Bake for 38-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
8.  Let cool in pan and then turn out.
9. Lemon glaze: whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and butter.  Add more lemon juice if you want a thinner glaze or more powered sugar to make it thicker.
10. Pour glaze over the cooled cake and serve with fresh blueberries.

Beef with Broccoli

1.5 lb flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8-in (3-mm)-thick strips
3lbs lbs broccoli, cut into bite-size florets (Buy three lbs. of broccoli, it will be less once you cut off the florets)
2 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic

BEEF MARINADE
3 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

STIR-FRY SAUCE
6 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 teaspoons chicken broth
4 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

1 In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the sliced beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.

2 In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Stir-fry Sauce.

3 In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.

4 Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

5 Pour in the Stir-fry Sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.

6 Serve over steamed Jasmine (or white) rice. 

Spicy Chicken Teriyaki Bowls with Coconut Rumba Rice

Recipe from: Favorite Family Recipe

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 carrots, peeled and grated
3 celery stalks, washed and sliced
1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes
1½ c. chopped broccoli florets
2 c. chicken, grilled and cut into small cubes (OR you can get the pre-cooked grilled chicken strips at Costco in the deli section. It comes in a 2-pack.. use one of the packages and cut up the chicken into little cubes.. just saute the chicken for a few minutes in a skillet before serving)
*Rumbi Rice (see recipe below)
**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (see recipe below)
Instructions
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (pretty much equal parts of said vegetables.. you can add more or less veggies depending on your taste). Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops.

Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp. per bowl.. you can add more or less depending on your taste).

Hawaiian Coconut Rice with Red Beans (aka Rumbi Rice)
2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. water
1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 c.)
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.
If you don’t have a rice cooker… Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender. 

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:
3/4 c. Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce (found in the grocery store by the BBQ sauces)
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (in the Asian section of the grocery store.. we used the one in the clear plastic jar with the green lid — if you want to make it spicier.. add more of this to the sauce)
1 tsp. fresh ginger
pinch of salt
pinch of brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water
Combine Yoshida’s, soysauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce for thickening. You want it to be slightly thicker than the Yoshida’s sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (If you find that the sauce is too thick when it cools, just add a little more Yoshida’s to it)

Meatball Subs

I got this yummy recipe from my sister, Lindsey.  :)

3 lbs. ground meat (1lb ground beef and 2lb mild Italian sausage)
1/3 cup chopped white onion
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal, (slightly pulse in a blender if it's Old Fashioned to break it up a bit)
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (Buy a regular to large size jar, you'll use more
of this later.)
2-3 cloves garlic, very finely minced or mashed/pressed
1/2 to 1 tsp. Italian Seasonings (to taste)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Dash of red pepper flakes (to taste)

Pepperjack cheese slices
Hoagie Buns

Preheat oven 350 F.

Pour 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a large cookie sheet.

Mix the rest of the ingredients.  Roll meatballs. I used a small cookie dough scoop so they were uniform.  I don't like mine too big on the subs.  I got 63 small meatballs.

Layer meatballs on top of the sauce in one layer. You may need one more smaller pan because the meatballs can be close, but not touching.

Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on size until meat is cooked through.

In a small saucepan, heat remaining sauce on low.

Toast buttered hoagie buns under the broiler. Remove tops from pan. Layer a slice of Pepperjack cheese on each bottom roll and broil very carefully until cheese is melted.

Layer a row of meatballs on top of the the cheese, then pour just a little bit of sauce over the sandwich. Add roll top and serve.  You can serve the sauce on the side.

Since this makes a lot of meatballs, you can freeze them easily for a later meal.   Flash freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then place them in a freezer bag.

Shelly's Menu January 11-17

Sunday:  Eating dinner with friends.  I have to bring a salad so I am bringing this one **Update:  This salad was REALLY good.  Loved the dressing, which I made in the blender.
Monday: Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
Tuesday: Pork Tenderloin with Melting Roasted Potatoes and green salad
Wednesday:   Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Asian Sesame Chicken and Broccoli

Cream Cheese Butterhorn Cookies aka Rugelach

Cream Cheese Butterhorn Cookies aka Rugelach

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts (I prefer pecans)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.
2. Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks...wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.
3. Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).
4. Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.
7. Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.