Coconut Crisp Cookies

Coconut Crisp Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
2 cups coconut

Cream butter with sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, soda, salt and nutmeg. Stir in oats and coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degree oven until golden (12-15 minutes).

Just the ham, Ma'am.

Here are a couple great ways to use leftover ham. As a bonus, they are both super quick and easy.

Quiche Lorraine

Prepare ahead:
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup cubed ham or cooked, crumbled bacon or sausage
1/2 cup sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms (optional)

Put into an electric blender:
3 eggs
1/2 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Beat in blender for 20 seconds. Pour from blender into a 10-inch greased pie plate. Sprinkle cheese, ham and vegetables over egg mixture. Press gently into egg mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

This next recipe is for fried rice. Natalie loves it.

All the measurements here are guesstimations, and you can alter this according to whatever you have. I just make it when I have some leftover rice and ham.

Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cubed ham
2 eggs
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, sliced in small pieces
2 green onions, sliced in small pieces
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 to 2 cups cold rice (leftover and stored in fridge)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce

Pour a little oil into a large skillet or pan. Put in diced carrots and allow to cook alone for a few minutes. Then add celery, frozen peas, and onions. When mostly cooked, push into one section of the pan and crack the eggs on the other side. Scramble the eggs, then push to one section and add the cubed ham. Mix everything up, then push to outside of pan and pour a little oil in the middle. Add rice and soy sauce and stir with everything. Add more soy sauce if desired. I sometimes add a little ginger for something different.

Comfort Food for the Winter

To continue in our series of leftover dishes, I thought I'd add two that are great for those really cold winter days. Both use leftover turkey and gravy. The first is Turkey Noodle Soup, with homemade noodles. My mom always boiled the turkey carcass, but I don't like doing this because little bones always end up in the soup. Instead, I just use the turkey drippings/broth or leftover gravy. This is also very versatile, as you can add as much turkey and vegetables as you like. The second dish is Turkey Pot Pie using leftover gravy and a can of cream of chicken soup (if you don't have enough gravy). These dishes are so warm and yummy and can't be beat when the temperature dips. Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Soup

Leftover gravy or turkey broth. If using gravy, add an equal amount of water (or more) to get the correct consistency for soup.
Leftover turkey, chopped (dark meat works well in the soup)
Sliced carrots
Chopped celery
Chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Noodles
1 egg
3 Tbsp. water
enough flour to make a dough which is not sticky and easily handled
salt and pepper to taste, or other spices like Italian spices, lemon pepper, etc.

Instructions:
Put the broth/gravy/water in a big pot and turn on medium high. Chop your vegetables and throw them in the pot. Add turkey. Cook until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, make the noodle dough. Roll out quite thin (1/4 inch) on a heavily floured surface (I like to use a large cutting board). Cut noodles into strips using a knife or pizza cutter. Drop into simmering soup and let cook for about 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Turkey Pot Pie
Leftover gravy and/or can of cream of chicken soup
1 or 2 small potatoes, cubed
1 or 2 carrots, cubed
1/4--1/2 cup peas
Leftover turkey

Biscuit mix:
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Instructions:
Put gravy and/or can of soup into a casserole dish. Boil or steam potatoes and carrots until soft. Add peas for the last minute or two of cooking (if frozen). Drain and pour into casserole dish. Add turkey. Mix. Mix the biscuits and pour batter over the top. (Alternately, make actual biscuits using any recipe you desire and place biscuits atop the gravy and vegetables).  Bake at 400 degrees (425 for high altitude) for 30 minutes.

Leftoverpalooza

A new year has begun. Time to figure out what the heck to do with all that turkey and ham in your freezer that were left over from Thanksgiving and Christmas. Never fear! I've got you covered with lots of tasty recipes. This first one is really handy for a day or two after a holiday in which you've used stuffing. But if you have a box of dry stuffing, that will work, too. This is one of my favorites, and it works great with chicken any time of the year.

Chicken (or turkey) Yum Yum

 2 cups cooked cut-up turkey or chicken
8 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 box Stove Top Stuffing (or whatever leftover stuffing you already have)
1 1/2 cups boiling water (if using dry stuffing)

Put chicken or turkey in 9x13 pan. Mix sour cream and soup together and pour over chicken. Sprinkle dry Stove Top Stuffing over the top and pour the boiling water over everything. (If using leftover already-made stuffing, just put it over everything and do not pour water on it).
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

This goes great with mashed potatoes or rice.

Chocolate-orange Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever had a chocolate orange? These cookies remind me of those. I decided to make these and give them out for Christmas this year. However, I am also trying to find ways to maximize my time and simplify, so I came up with what I think is a brilliant idea. Instead of baking cookies for hours, I decided to scoop them into round balls and freeze them and give them out that way. I made a cute label and called them "Cookies for Santa," with instructions on how to bake them. I thought this would also be a way to help others save time during this busy season by already having cookie dough at the ready on Christmas Eve instead of having to make some. Here is the cute label I made:

I think I may do this every year! Here is the recipe for these scrumptious cookies!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. grated orange peel

Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1 cup sugar, the margarine, 1 Tbsp. orange peel and the egg in a large bow. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Mix 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp. grated orange peel. Roll balls in sugar mixture. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness with bottom of glass. Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

To freeze:
Scoop dough to make balls. Roll in sugar mixture and place close together on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer uncovered for 1-2 hours. Remove and put balls into plastic bags. Put back in freezer to save for baking.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Drops

These are the best cookies ever. Seriously. And they are perfect for Christmas. I make them every year and give them out (or just eat a ton myself). If you want to impress your friends and neighbors, these are the cookies to make.

Ingredients:
8 oz. white chocolate baking squares or 8 oz. white chocolate chips. (Try to use chocolate with cocoa butter, as this will make the most tender cookies).
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Directions:
Chop 4 oz. of the white chocolate (not necessary if using chips) and set aside. In a small saucepan, cook the remaining 4 oz. chocolate over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium or high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in melted white chocolate. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the rest by hand. Stir in the remaining 4 oz. white chocolate or chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. Drop by rounded teaspoons two inches apart onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Or you can use stoneware with no paper. Bake 8-10 minutes (longer on stoneware) at 375 degrees or until lightly browned around the edges. Transfer to wire rack and cool. Makes about 50. Store cookies in layers between waxed paper in an airtight container.

Note: I have found that it is best not to have the candy canes pulverized into powder, but to just try to get them into small pieces.

Overnight Rolls

For Brendan's Pack meeting he has to take a favorite treat and share the recipe. This month they are learning about nutrition and the food pyramid. He picked "Overnight Rolls" This recipe can be made at night before you go to bed and baked as soon as you get up for an easy quick breakfast.

Overnight Rolls
1 3 ounce package butterscotch pudding (cooking pudding, not instant)
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c nuts, optional
18-24 Rhodes frozen rolls

Grease Bundt pan. Place rolls loosely in pan, layering. Sprinkle with dry pudding. Dissolve sugar and butter, add nuts. Pour over rolls. cover with foil. Let sit on counter overnight. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes in the morning.

Chilled Strawberry Soup

4 cups fresh strawberries
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
12 sprigs fresh mint

Rinse strawberries with cool water to clean and then pat dry to absorb excess water. Remove strawberry stems and set aside 12 for later use.

In a large bowl, combine remaining strawberries, whipped topping, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar. With an electric mixer, mix on low speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar has dissolved completely and mixture is smooth. Add sour cream and mix 1 minute. Place in refrigerator to chill.

Serve soup in chilled bowls and garnish with whole strawberries and fresh mint sprigs.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is fantastically delicious, and a nice twist on pumpkin pie.

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

(Or, use two prepared graham cracker pie crusts that you buy at the store).

Filling:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pumpkin (please use real pumpkin, even though this recipe calls for canned)
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

For crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crust ingredients together and blend well. Press evenly onto the bottom of a 10" springform pan (or deep pie plate). Bake 10 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese with sugar and salt. Add 3 eggs and vanilla and beat. Pour 1/2 the batter into prepared crust. Stir pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and 1 egg into remaining batter. Beat well. Gently spread pumpkin cheescake batter over regular cheesecake batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 60 minutes or until set in center. Chill before serving.

Frog Eye Salad

I don't know what it is about this salad, but I can't stop eating it. It has such a pleasing texture and lovely light flavor. If you're not from Utah, you might not know what this salad is. I admit--it has an odd combination of ingredients, but somehow, they work so well together. Just trust me :)

1 1/3 cup (8 oz.) Acini di pepe, uncooked (this is a type of pasta that looks like little tiny balls and I have only ever found it in boxes, not in plastic packages)
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained (save juice)
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 (3.4 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineappe, drained
1 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups non-dairy whipped topping
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Cook pasta for 11 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain well. In a large bowl, beat 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice, milk, sugar, and dry pudding mix for 2 minutes. Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients. Cover. Refrigerate 3 hours, stir and refrigerate 3 more hours. Makes 12 servings.