Cucumber and Onion Salad

 

• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 cup olive oil light mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

 

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. 

Serves 6.

Cornflake Cookies

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup white corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups cornflakes

1. Heat sugar and corn syrup in 3-quart saucepan until the sugar is just dissolved, stirring frequently.  If you heat it longer the cookies will be too hard.
2.  Remove from heat. 
3.  Add salt and stir. 
4.  Add peanut butter and stir. 
5.  Add peanuts and stir.
6.  Add cornflakes and stir. 
7.  Using a quarter cup, scoop mixture onto parchment in mounds.  
8.  Let cool and set up. Makes about 30 cookies.

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Unwrap the butter and put in a large mixing bowl.  Let come to room temperature.
2. Let the eggs come to room temperature.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. 
5. In the bowl where you have been softening the butter, stir the brown sugar and sugar into the butter.  Stir until smooth.
6. Add the two eggs, and vanilla to the sugar mixture and stir until well blended.
7. Stir in the dry ingredients, a little at a time, until well mixed.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
9. Mix the ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a cereal sized bowl.
10. Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop (the large one), make balls of the dough, nine at a time. 
11. Dip the balls in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. 
12. Place on the parchment.
13. Smash the balls.  Sprinkle some of the sugar and cinnamon mixture on the top of the smashed dough.
14. Bake on the middle oven rack for 14 minutes. 
15. Remove and let completely cool before transferring to paper towels.   
16. Repeat for the next 9 cookies. 
17. Repeat again, but there will only be about 6 cookies this time. 
18. Enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

 

• 1 8 oz. packages baby bella or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (the kind in the refrigerated jar)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 small bottle (187 ml) chardonnay (3/4 cup)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons parsley

1. In large skillet, brown sliced mushrooms and chopped onions in olive oil. 
2. Add butter. 
3. Add the dill, thyme, Hungarian paprika, chardonnay, and soy sauce to the mixture.
4. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently to allow the flavors to intensify.
5. Add the flour and stir.  
6. Add the bouillon cubes and water to the mixture, stirring until well blended. 
7. Add milk and stir. 
8. Cook mixture for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Add sour cream, lemon juice and parsley.  Stir well. 
11. Return to low heat for about 1 minute stirring constantly.
12. Serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Cookies

 

• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons reconstituted lemon juice
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Small bowl of confectioner’s sugar
• Small bowl of regular sugar

1. Cream butter and 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar together.
2. Add the zest from one lemon.
3. Add the reconstituted lemon juice and stir.
4. Add the egg and beat until well mixed. 
5. Add the salt and baking soda.  Mix well.
6. Add the flour and stir until well mixed. 
7. Place a lid on the mixing bowl and refrigerate at least two hours.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
10. Using a small cookie sheet, scoop nine scoops into a bowl of regular sugar.
11. Roll each ball into the regular sugar. 
12. Roll each ball into powdered sugar.
13. Place each ball on the parchment, 9 to a sheet. 
14. Flatten with the bottom of a glass.
15. Sprinkle a little more sugar on the tops of the cookies.
16. Bake for 8 minutes. 
17. Remove and let them cool on the sheet for 10 minutes.  Do not remove them too early or they will fall apart.  They need this additional time on the sheet to get firm.
18. Transfer them to a cooling rack. 
19. Repeat the baking process as many times as necessary.
20. This recipe makes about 36 cookies. 

Enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey Tortilla Soup

 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (red, yellow, orange, or green strips in combination if using leftovers)
• 1 cup turkey breast cooked and shredded (or however much you have leftover)
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
• 4 cups water
• 1-15 ounce can corn, drained
• 1-15 ounce diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from the jar in the refrigerator)
• 1 teaspoon died cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

 Toppings:

• ½ red onion, diced
• Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Tortilla strips (purchased or make your own)
• Cubes of avocados (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

 

1. Sweat ½ of diced red onion and diced bell pepper(s) until slightly translucent. 
2. Add the shredded turkey breast, water, chicken bouillon powder, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, cilantro and black pepper. 
3. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently. 

 

Homemade Tortilla Strips (or just buy some)

•  8 flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Garlic salt and pepper mixture

1.  Meanwhile, if you need to make your own tortilla strips, take 8 tortillas and cut into strips no longer than 2 inches long. 
2. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a ziplock.
3. Add ½ teaspoon garlic salt and pepper mixture.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
5. Put parchment on a baking sheet.
6. Add the strips to the ziplock bag and close. 
7. Shake. 
8. Spread them on the baking parchment. 
9. Bake about 7 minutes. 
10. Turn the strips.
11. Bake about 3 more minutes, watching to see that they don’t over brown.

 Continue cooking the soup for about 45 minutes.

1. Ladle into soup bowls.
2. Top with Monterey cheese, rest of the raw crunchy diced red onion, and toasted tortilla strips. 
3. Top with Avocado, and sour cream if desired. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apple Pie Cake

 

• 1 yellow boxed cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 can apple pie filling
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Beat the eggs well.
3. Add the cake mix and stir until well blended.
4. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
5. Pour half the mixture in the cake pan.
6. Mix the sugar and cinnamon well. 
7. Pour half the cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over the layer.
8. Add the other half of the cake mixture and spread evenly.
9. Pour the other half of the cinnamon and sugar mixture evenly over the layer.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. 
11. Let cool on the neck of a beer bottle or similarly necked bottle for 10 minutes. 
12. Place plate on top of the bundt pan and flip. 
13. Cake should come out in one piece (the 10 minute wait is the secret). 
14. Make the glaze and pour over the top of the cake.  It will run down the sides.

Glaze for Apple Pie Cake

• 1 stick of butter
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup bourbon (sometimes I use Fireball instead)

1. Place all the ingredients of the glaze in a saucepan.
2. Heat to boiling, constantly stirring.
3. Cook five more minutes, still stirring.
4. Remove glaze and pour it over the cake. 

 Cut, serve and enjoy.