Baked Potstickers with Sweet Asian Dipping Sauce

1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts
½ cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
¼ cup grated carrot
fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 egg white
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
24 square wonton wrappers
Pantry Basil Oil from Pampered Chef

Dipping Sauce
½ cup red jalapeño jelly
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

Preheat oven to 425ºF. For potstickers, in large bowl, combine chicken,
water chestnuts, green onions, carrot, gingerroot, soy sauce, egg
white, mayonnaise and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; mix well.

To assemble potstickers, place 12 wonton wrappers onto smooth surface.
Lightly brush edges of each wonton with water. Using Small Scoop, place
a mounded scoop of filling onto center of each wonton. For each
potsticker, fold one point over filling and overlap with the opposite point.
Repeat with remaining two points, folding envelope style. Place
potstickers on Large Round Stone; lightly spray with oil using Kitchen
Spritzer. Repeat with remaining wontons. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges of
potstickers are golden brown; remove from oven.

For dipping sauce, place jelly in small bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30-40
seconds or until warm; add vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk until well
blended. Transfer potstickers to serving platter; serve with dipping sauce.

Yield: 24 potstickers

Home-made Boursin Cheese

That delectably fragrant spread known as boursin cheese is quite easy to make at home—which will impress your guests and save you some money at the grocery store!

1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup (118 ml) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup (59 ml) chives
1 8-ounce (226 g) package cream cheese
1/4 cup (6 oz/170 g) black olives, pitted

In a food processor, chop the garlic and herbs. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add the olives and chop briefly. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Serve with crackers or spread on pieces of French bread, topped with thin slices of roast beef.

Yield: 1 cup (237 ml)

Leanne's Pasta Clam Vegetable Chowder

Pasta Clam Vegetable Chowder
Serves 6
2 cups small shells, elbow macaroni or other small pasta shape -- uncooked
3 cups milk, divided
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped fresh vegetables (such as zucchini, yellow squash, carrots)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 (6 ounce) cans clams, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse pasta
under cold water until cool. Drain again.

Combine 2 1/2 cups milk, chicken broth, vegetables, thyme, paprika and
pasta in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until simmering
lightly but don't let it boil hard or the milk will separate.

In a separate bowl, stir the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch
together until cornstarch dissolves. Stir the cornstarch mixture into
soup and heat to simmering. Add clams and simmer, stirring frequently,
3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Per Serving: 270 Calories; 2g Fat; 21g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g
Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 95mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain
(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 ½ Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates..

Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream

Gran & Christmas cookies

My grandmother, "Gran" (technically, she was my step-mom's mom) got married to Gramps ...

And Gramps, of German descent, asked her their first Christmas together, "when are you going to start making Christmas cookies?"

She said, "what do you mean?"
He said, "you know, cookies you make at Christmas time."
Gran: I know, but what are they?
Gramps: Uhh...

He thought about it for quite a while to remember what was in his childhood... (his mother had been gone for a while at that point maybe, and he didn't have recipes I guess?)

So then he started describing some cookies to Gran. And I think she searched around and looked in cookbooks and asked friends... and came up with a compilation of Christmas cookies.

One really neat thing about my grandparents was they did everything they could to make each other happy. And I understand it now -- how important that is in a marriage.

Gran already loved to bake and was quite an accomplished baker. (I wish I had realized this when she was still around. What is it with kids who take their family for granted???)

So she took to making Christmas cookies with zeal. She made at least 15 types every Christmas.

My step-mom [Mom] and I can't quite hope to accomplish all that she did, so we have our favorites and make those every year.

Gramps really loved the Cherry Winks, so Mom used to make those for him as long as he stuck around. But he passed away last year the day before Thanksgiving. If I find the Cherry Wink recipe, I'll post it.

My favorite was always the Cathedral Windows. Mom doesn't know why I like them, she doesn't think they have much flavor. I love color! And they are always the prettiest cookies at any Christmas party on the plate. :) :)

And of course the Holly Berry Drops are really pretty on Christmas plates too - they are green! Last year for kicks I made a batch with a little cinnamon in the marshmallow and I added red food coloring instead of green. It was really great to have those on the Christmas plate too.

Mom's favorite are the Chow Mein Noodle Candy.

Last year I think I made about 6 batches in 4 weeks of those. And my 3 brothers & dad ate them so fast, we had none for Christmas!!

This year I've made 3 types already, and I am hoping to make the fudge again - that was really yummy! I also want to make the ginger cookies I have to find the recipe for then post on here...

Also, I need to post the cinnamon ice cream recipe and link where I got it from too...

Merry Christmas!!

Peppermint Candy Cookies

Ingredients:
Cookie dough:
1 cup soft butter (or margarine)
1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 c all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup walnuts (or other nuts) finely chopped

Peppermint Fudge Filling
1/2 C crushed peppermint stick candy
1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 T cream cheese
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar
red food coloring

For the cookie dough, cream the butter. Add the 1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar and vanilla, creaming well. Blend-in the sifted flour and 1/2 C walnuts. Mix thoroughly. Cover; prepare Peppermint Fudge Filling. For the filling, combine the crushed peppermint stick candy and the 1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar. Set aside. Blend the cream cheese with the milk until smooth and creamy. Add another 1/2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar gradually; add the peppermint candy and confectioner’s sugar mixture (already combined), as well as one drop of red food coloring. Mix well.

Now, shape the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Make a deep hole in the center of each and fill with about 1/4th teaspoon of the filler. Reshape and seal. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Do not brown. While warm, roll in remainder of peppermint candy and confectioner’s sugar mixture. Cool; re-roll in candy mixture.

Choco-Mint Fudge

Recipe from Jodi's grandmother - Dorothy Loudon Peto "Gran"
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter or margarine
4 C sugar
Few grains of salt
1 can (1 2/3 C) evaporated milk
2 pkgs (12 oz. total) chocolate chips
1 jar marshmallow cream (7 1/2 oz.)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 C chopped pecans

Mix sugar, salt, oleo, and evaporated milk in a large sauce pan. Cook and stir over low heat until dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook 7 minutes over medium heat – stirring continuously.

Remove from heat – add chocolate chips, marshmallow, and peppermint. Beat until smooth. Add pecans. Pour into a greased 9x12 pan.

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Notes by Jodi:
Pour into the greased 9x12 pan. Let it sit out in the kitchen by the window where the cold air is coming in even though the window is closed. Let it sit overnight.

Cut into bars or squares depending on how big you want the pieces of fudge.

Chocolate Cherry Bars

From Dorothy Loudon Peto "Gran" - my grandmother
(Yummy! – Gran)

Ingredients:
1 package fudge cake mix
1 can 21-oz cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using solid shortening or margarine, grease and flour 15x10 or 9x13 jelly roll pan. In large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. By hand, stir until well mixed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-30 minutes.

While bars cool, prepare frosting.

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
5 T butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk
1 package (6-oz) semi-sweet chocolate pieces

In small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk. Boil, stirring constantly, one minute. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate pieces until smooth. Pour over partially cooled bars.

Makes 3 dozen bars.

Cathedral Windows

Ingredients:

1/4 lb - Margarine

12 oz - Chocolate Chips

1 cup - Chopped Walnuts

12 oz - Colored Mini Marshmallows

7 oz - Grated Coconut (optional)



Heat margarine and chocolate chips in the top pan of a double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Put marshmallows and nuts in a large bowl. Stir in chocolate.

Tear five 9-inch sheets of waxed paper and sprinkle each generously with coconut. Divide dough into fifths and place each fifth on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll tightly into 2-inch diameter logs and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, unwrap from waxed paper and cut into 1/2" slices.

Makes about 60 pieces.

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We can't find the one my grandmother used to make, so I searched online to find a similar recipe last year. I found this one & made them. The cookies came out about the same. Same taste. I don't add the walnuts or coconut. My grandmother also used to make these in a glass baking pan - square - so the windows came out rectangular with a sprinkling of coconut on top. This recipe is for round cookies with coconut all over. I don't use the coconut, and I like the ease of the waxed paper. So this recipe is good enough for me. :)

Holly Berry Drops

From Dorothy Loudon Peto - Jodi's grandmother

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine

32 large marshmallows

1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring

3 cups corn flakes

Red cinnamon candies

Melt together the butter, marshmallows and the food color in a large pan. Remove from heat and add the corn flakes and then stir. Drop immediately by spoonful onto waxed paper. Shape with fingers and add 2 or 3 candies to each drop.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Chow Mein Noodle Candy

From Dorothy Loudon Peto (my grandmother)

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) package of chocolate chips

1 (12-ounce) package of butterscotch chips

1 cup salted nuts

2 (3 ounce) cans Chow Mein noodles

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in top of double-boiler until creamy. Mix nuts and chow mein noodles in large bowl. Add to candy mixture. Stir carefully (noodles can break) until all are coated. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper covered surface. Cool until hard.


Jodi modifications:

2 (12 ounce) packages of chocolate chips

2 (12 ounce) packages of butterscotch chips

1 can of salted mixed nuts + a sprinkling of extra salt

1 12-ounce bag of Chow Mein noodles

Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips in crock pot set on “low.” Stir every few minutes. It doesn’t take that long. Mix in the nuts and stir well. Add the chow mein noodles and stir carefully until all are dark with the chocolate. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper covering the dining room table. Cool until hard. This makes approximately 80 cookies.

Raspberry Squares

by Evelyn Snow Heckel

1 1/3 C flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C quick-cooking oatmeal
1 C brown sugar
1 C melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 C walnuts chopped coarsely (or pecans)
3/4 C seeded raspberry jam

Bonne Maman raspberry preserves are good in this recipe.
Sift flour, soda, salt together. Add oatmeal chopped fine, brown sugar,
melted butter, and vanilla. Blend well. Add nuts. Press large half of
mixture (with spatula or piece of waxed paper) into 13x9x2 inch greased pan.

Cover with jam. Top with remaining flour mixture. (I have found it works
best to just sprinkle the flour mixture over the jam with your fingers. You
may think there is not enough to go around, but it does melt together while
cooking.) Bake at 350 degrees for about 23 minutes. When cool, cut into
small squares. Makes 40 squares.

These are delicious room temperature or cold and can be kept in a tight
container in a cold garage to save on refrigerator space. Enjoy!

My grandmother's cook book was called "More Fun with Cookies" and my parents
had it printed and sold at the Prin Book Store and some local book shops
sometime in the 70's. They are easy to make. Have fun.

Posted by Joan Snipes, from Mary Thompson

Eggnog Punch

1 3/4 - 2 quarts French vanilla or cinnamon ice cream
2 quarts dairy eggnog or canned eggnog - chilled (8 cups)
1 liter cream soda - chilled
Peppermint sticks, cinnamon sticks or candy canes (all are optional garnishes)

Place ice cream in an extra large punch bowl. Add 1/2 egg nog. Stir and mash mixture using a potato masher until ice cream is melted and it's well-combined. Stir in remaining egg nog. Slowly pour in cream soda, stir and combine.

To each glass, add a garnish (above). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. (about 1/8 teaspoon per serving.)

Makes about 24 (6 oz) servings.

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I got this recipe from a Home and Garden, Dec, 2006 magazine while I sat in a salon today getting a pedicure. :)

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I made this for a church party in the punch bowl. I should have taken a funnel with me - I had a ton of punch left over & had to call my husband to bring a funnel. The people who actually tried it enjoyed it. Most folks didn't try it though - they had a pre-determined aversion to egg nog.

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I made my cinnamon ice cream from scratch because I didn't want to bother searching for it in the grocery stores. I used a recipe from Megnut.com -- will post that in a seperate place on this blog.

Pomegranite Tea

I got this recipe from a Home and Garden, Dec, 2006 magazine while I sat in a salon today getting a pedicure. :)

----------

3 Cups Water
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4 regular tea bags or 1 family-sized tea bag
1 Cup Pomegranite juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
Lemon wedges (optional)
Raw sugar or brown sugar (optional)

1) In a medium sausepan, bring water and sugar to boil. Remove from heat. Add tea bag. Let it stand 30 minutes. Remove tea bag.

2) Add pomegranite juice and extract. Serve hot or iced. With lemon wedges. Sweeten to taste.

Makes 4 8 oz servings.

Leanne's Incredibly Easy, Non-Measured Smoothie

Makes 2 yummy smoothies

2-3 ice cubes
1 banana, frozen
a handful of frozen (organic if you can) berries, your choice (about
1/3 cup)
2 scoops protein powder (I use a vanilla whey protein powder)
1 10 ounce bottle of Stonyfield Farm low-fat yogurt smoothie (I use
vanilla mostly)
orange juice (just enough to add more liquid if you need it)

Put everything in a blender (I have a 450 watt blender that works
great!) and LET HER RIP!

COOKING NOTES:
For the berries option, you could use peaches, some more banana
whatever. Smoothies are pretty forgiving--the only necessary
component is frozen fruit to make it shake-like.

That's it. Pretty simple, isn't it? That's how easy breakfast can be
in the morning. This smoothie takes me all of two minutes to make.

Leftover turkey or chicken chili

Beanless Chicken Chili (use leftover turkey instead of or to
supplement chicken if you had Thanksgiving at your house)
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion -- chopped
4 cloves garlic -- pressed
1 red bell pepper - chopped (seeded and deribbed)
1 stalk celery -- chopped
2 jalapeno peppers - chopped (seeded and deribbed) OPTIONAL
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can tomatoes -- broken up
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves -- cooked and chopped into
1" pieces
OR
4-6 cups cooked turkey, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro -- chopped
Juice of one lime

In a large saucepan or skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the
onion, garlic, celery, peppers and seasonings over medium low heat
for about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in cooked chicken
and/or turkey and cook until heated through. Before serving, add lime
juice and fresh cilantro and stir gently.

**NUTRITION NOTE: Nutritional information reflects using chicken
breasts, not turkey. The carb count will be the same.

Per Serving: 283 Calories; 13g Fat (41.1% calories from fat); 31g
Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 82mg Cholesterol; 273mg
Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.

Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings - dessert

For filling

2 small tart apples such as Granny Smith (1/2 lb), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1/2 tablespoon for sprinkling
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
1/2 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon for brushing
For syrup
1 1/2 cups unfiltered apple cider
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream

Make filling: Toss together all filling ingredients.
Make dough: Preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar into a bowl. Blend in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup milk and stir with a fork just until mixture is moistened.

Turn out dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead 7 to 8 times, or until a soft dough forms (do not overwork dough, or dumplings will be tough). Roll out dough on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a rough 16- by 11-inch rectangle (about 3/4 inch thick). Trim to a 15- by 10-inch rectangle. Halve dough lengthwise, then cut crosswise in thirds (to form 6 squares).

Fill dumplings: Divide filling among centers of squares. Bring all 4 corners together over filling and pinch together to seal. Transfer dumplings to a well-buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish and arrange about 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining 1/2 tablespoon milk and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Make syrup and bake dumplings: Bring cider and brown sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Pour syrup around dumplings, then bake dumplings until golden brown and syrup is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 (dessert) servings

Chocolate-Orange Truffle Cake

I cut this off a box years ago and thought I'd share... it seems like a nice Fall cake....

www.bettycrocker.com

Betty's Most-Requested Recipes
Chocolate-Orange Truffle Cake

1 package Betty Crocker (r) SuperMoist chocolate fudge cake mix

Water, oil and eggs as called for on cake mix package directions

1 Tablespoon grated orange peel

1 tub Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate ready-to-spread frosting

1/3 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (Fahrenheit) Bake and cool cake as directed on package for 2 8 or 9 inch round pans -- except add orange peel with the water. Fill layers and frost cake with frosting. Heat whipping cream in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until hot (do not boil); remove from heat. Stir in chocolate mixture onto top center of cake; spread to edge, allowing some to drizzle down side. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.

Fake a Starbucks Frappucino

A recipe I got from Glamour magazine, April 2002

Fake a Starbucks Frappucino

Glory hallelujah! Someone-specifically food investigaor Todd Wilbur -- had re-created the coffee chain's addictive formula. Here it is, from his new book "Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits, & Shakes" (Plume):

To make 2 "grande" drinks, blend 3/4 cup cold double-strength coffee (brewed with twice the beans your machine requires), 1 cup low-fat milk, 3 tbsp granulated sugar and 2 cups ice in a blender on high speed until ice is crushed and drink is silky smooth. Serve with a straw.

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(ingredients listed in a better way for the Jodi-method)

3/4 C cold strong coffee
1 C lowfat milk
3 T sugar
2 C ice

Five Minute Lasagne

Five Minute Lasagne
Serves 6
No kidding—this takes just five minutes to put together!

1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (your favorite)
1 (30 ounce) bag frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and spoon in about 1/3 of the sauce.

Arrange 12 of the raviolis on top; then evenly lay all the_spinach over the top of the raviolis.

Top that with half of each cheese.

Now cover with another layer of raviolis, the remaining sauce_and the remaining cheese.

Tent with foil (don't let cheese touch the_foil or it will stick)

Bake 25 minutes

Uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more until bubbly.