Hello Dollies

Hello Dollies

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 3 ounce can flaked coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups pecan pieces
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Mix butter and crumbs; press firmly in a 9" square pan. 

Add a layer each of coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans. Pour condensed milk over top. 

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the nuts on top are nicely browned. 

Cool completely before cutting into small squares.

Note: The Hello Dollies are in the center of the plate.  The other bars are the mincemeat bars in the recipe below.

Mincemeat Bars

Mincemeat Bars
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons hot water
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1 9 oz. package mincemeat, broken up
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
3 tablespoons hot milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine butter, brown sugar, eggs, molasses, and vanilla; mix thoroughly. 
 
Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir into sugar mixture. 
 
Stir in hot water; mix well. 

Next stir in almonds, raisins, and mincemeat. Mix well. 

Spread into 2 greased 8x12 pans. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 16 minutes.
  
Remove pans to wire racks. 

Combine confectioners sugar, hot milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Spread over hot bars and cool completely. 

Cut into small bars and store in an airtight container.

Note: The mincemeat bars are the ones on the outer edge of the plate.  The bars in the center are Hello Dollies (Recipe will be posted)

Butterscotch Pie

Butterscotch Pie

1 9 inch pie shell, baked and cooled
2 1.4 oz Skor or Heath bars, chopped

FILLING:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/4 cup boiling water
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons bourbon
1 1.4 oz Skor or Heath bar, chopped

Sprinkle two chopped Skor bars in the bottom of cooled pie sheel; set aside.

FILLING:
Whisk together milk, cornstarch, and salt for slurry in a bowl; set aside.

Brown 10 tablespoons butter for the filling in a saute' pan over medium heat, 10 to 15 minutes, or until brown flecks appear in the butter. This will provide a toasty nutty flavor. Add brown sugar and golden syrup; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes, whisk in boiling water until smooth, boil 1 minute more.

Whisk slurry into sugar mixture and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes; cook 1 minute more and remove from heat.

Drizzle 1 cup of butterscotch into the 4 egg yolks to temper, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk tempered mixture back into filling. Simmer filling 1 minute to thicken, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pour filling into pie shell.

Press plastic wrap onto filling to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature, then chill overnight.

TOPPING:
Beat heavy cream to soft peaks in a bowl with a hand mixer on medium. Add 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar and 2 teaspoons bourbon, beating until combined.

Top pie with the whipped cream and garnish with the remaining chopped Skor bar. Chill until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin

Sugar syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water

Cinnamon Sugar:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.

Transfer batter to a greased 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. While cake is baking, combine the sugar and water for the sugar syrup; heat in a small saucepan over medium heat, or in a small microwave safe bowl in the microwave; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Combine the remaining sugar with the cinnamon; set aside.

After removing cake from pan, brush hot cake with the sugar syrup, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar onto the cake. Let the cake cool completely before serving.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound beef tenderloin
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium onion, minced
1 can condensed beef broth (Campbell's)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sour cream
3 cups hot cooked noodles (3 to 4)

Cut meat across the grain into 1/2" strips, about 1 1/2 " long. Melt butter in large skillet. Add mushrooms and onions; cook and stir until onion is tender, then remove from skillet. In same skillet, cook meat until light brown. Reserving 1/3 cup of the broth, stir in remaining broth, the catsup, garlic and salt. Cover; simmer 15 minutes.

Blend reserved broth and flour; stir into meat mixture. Add mushrooms and onions. Heat to boiling; stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Reduce heat. Stir in sour cream; heat. Serve over noodles.

Fruited Quinoa Salad

Fruited Quinoa Salad

2 cups quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil

Vinaigrette:
1 lime, zested and juiced
enough Champagne wine vinegar, added to lime juice to measure 1/3 cup
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lime zest
salt, to taste

Add ins:
2 pears, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint

Quinoa:
Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and quinoa.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, adding more water as necessary to keep the quinoa covered.  Cook 20 minutes or until tender.  Drain and rinse the quinoa with cold water to stop the cooking.  Transfer the quinoa to a foil lined rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the 1 tablespoon oil, and toss lightly to coat.  Spread the quinoa on the baking sheet and cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Vinaigrette:
Put the lime juice, vinegar, and honey in a small bowl; whisk till the honey has dissolved.  Gradually whisk in the oil.  Add the zest and season with salt to taste.

Salad:
Put the cooled quinoa in a large bowl and toss to break up any clumps.  Add the pears, cranberries, goat cheese and mint.  Toss to combine then add the vinaigrette and season with more salt, if needed.  Refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Add the pine nuts just before serving, tossing to combine.

Serves 16

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Pastry dough:
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp shortening
1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water

Filling:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Couple shakes cayenne, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pastry dough:
Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with a pasty blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle cold water (1 tablespoon at a time) over surface; stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide into two balls (one slightly larger). Press into flattened circles on plastic wrap and then cover with wrap and let rest while preparing the filling.

Filling:
Saute' first 3 ingredients in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Add flour; stir until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and half and half; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, peas, salt and peppers. Set aside while finishing the pastry.

Lightly flour a pastry cloth, board or counter. Lay the larger pastry round on the flour. Cover the top of the pastry with the plastic wrap. Roll out to 1 inch wider, all around, than the top of a deep dish pie dish. Carefully place dough into the pie dish, easing to fit without stretching. Roll out the second piece of dough the same way, rolling it about 1/2 inch wider than the top of the pie dish . Pour the filling into the pie shell, then cover with the pastry. Carefully tuck the edges of the top pastry under the bottom pastry and crimp to seal. Cut some slits in the top to allow steam to excape.

Cover the edges of the pie crust with strips of foil to keep from over browning. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, removing foil strips after 30 minutes. Finish baking until crust is golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Serves 6 generously

Note: Sometimes I cook 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms until they have given off all their juices and add them with the chicken and other ingredients.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

Marinade: to be made TWICE

3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, without skin
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large zip-lock bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning once halfway through time.

Combine the first 7 ingredients again in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove fish from refrigerator and remove from marinade. Pat well with paper towel to dry.

Place the second marinade mixture in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; lower heat and let simmer until reduced by half. Set aside while you cook the fish.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season fish with a light sprinkling of salt. Add the oil to the pan and once it shimmers, add the fish to the pan. Cook fish 2 to 4 minutes per side, until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desided degree of doneness.

Place one fillet on each of four plates; drizzle each serving with some of the sauce and sprinkle with the sliced green onions.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans

Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans

4 large bell peppers, any color, sliced in half stem-to-tip, seeds removed
1 cup quinoa
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, don't drain
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 recipe (or 1 28-ounce can) red enchilada sauce (or 1 28-ounce can)

Add quinoa and onion to a large saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 5 minutes, cover, turn off heat and let steam 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

In the meantime, microwave pepper halves 2-3 minutes to soften slightly.
Pour quinoa/onion mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in black beans, tomato, green chilies, cilantro, half the cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pour enchilada sauce into a 9x13" baking dish. Divide quinoa mixture among peppers. Nestle stuffed peppers into the enchilada sauce. Top with the remaining cheese.

Cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and cook about 5 minutes longer. Serve peppers drizzled with enchilada sauce.

Red Enchilada Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 to 1 chipotle chile canned in adobo, rinsed and minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups water

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and chili powder; cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Bring sauce to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes.
Makes about 3 1/4 cups sauce.

Salted Peanut Bars

Salted Peanut Bars
2 1/4 cups coarsely chopped roasted salted peanuts
14 ounces store-bought soft caramels, unwrapped
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides, then lightly coat parchment with more cooking spray.
Cover paper with 1 1/4 cups peanuts.
In a medium pot, combine 1 tablespoon water, caramels, marshmallows and vanilla over mediumm heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramels and marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth, about 8 minutes. Immediately pour over peanuts, then top with remaining 1 cup peanuts. Let cool until set, about 2 hours, then cut into 32 bars.