Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos with Cream Cheese

Photo: Ree Drummond, http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

-Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Jalapenos

Cream Cheese, softened

Bacon, cut into thirds

Preheat oven to 375. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Stuff with cream cheese and wrap with bacon section and secure with toothpick. Bake 20 minutes, till bacon is crisp. If bacon has not crisped after 20 minutes, broil for a few minutes to finish.

Soft Gingersnaps/Molasses Cookies

-Mom Pulsipher

3/4 cup softened margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves (I use 1/2 tsp. - personal preference)
Additional sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Chill dough. Roll into 1-1/4 inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for about 10 minutes or until set and surface cracks.

Artisan Bread Bowls

-King Arthur Flour

3-3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or pumpernickel flour
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups lukewarm water, enough to make a smooth, soft dough

1) Mix and knead together all of the ingredients—by hand, mixer or bread machine—till you've created a smooth dough.

2) Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes; it should become puffy.

3) Divide the dough into 5 pieces.

4) Roll each piece into a ball.

5) Place on a lightly greased or parchment covered baking sheet.

6) Cover the bread bowls with greased plastic wrap.

7) Refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to 24 hours); this step will give the bread bowls extra flavor, and a delightfully crisp-chewy texture.

8) Two or more hours before serving, remove the bread bowls from the refrigerator. Uncover, and let them sit for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 425°F.

9) Just before baking, slash the top surface of the bowls several times to allow them to expand.

10) Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the bowls are deep brown, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.

11) Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Delicious with Broccoli Cheese Soup.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs over Rice

This was originally a recipe for an appetizer that I changed up a little. I often substitute frozen meatballs from Costco which makes for a quick meal.

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (freshly ground if possible)
2-3 Tbsp. milk or evaporated milk
Salt & Pepper
Dash onion powder

Combine - keeping in mind a fluffy texture. Form into 16 1-oz meatballs (or 32 smaller). Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet and add meatballs, turning to evenly brown, then turn down heat to cook through.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits or chunks, all juice and 1/2 of the pineapple
1/4 c. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced (we like 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow)

Mix together all ingredients except bell pepper and pineapple and simmer over a medium heat until onions are tender. Add cooked meatballs, bell pepper, and pineapple and simmer until bell peppers are crisp tender and meatballs and pineapple are warmed through. Serve over cooked rice.

Nutter Butter Halloween Treats

-2005 Pillsbury Halloween Booklet

1 pkg Nutter Butters
Chocolate candy coating
Vanilla-flavored candy coating
Mini-pretzels
Reese's Pieces
Cherry Pull-n-peel licorice
Mini chocolate chips

Photo: Pillsbury

Peanut Butter Cookies

-America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter (we used creamy)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup dry-roasted salted peanuts, ground fine (we ground to consistency of crunchy peanut butter)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugars together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the ground peanuts until incorporated.

4. Working with 3 TBSP of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Make crosshatch design on the cookies using a fork (dipped in sugar to keep from sticking). Bake until the edges are golden and the centers have puffed and are beginning to deflate, 10-12 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking. *Using medium cookie scoop (about 2 Tbsp?), 11 minutes on Silpat, 12 on airbake - 4 dozen

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Broccoli Beef

-esrecipecorner.blogspot.com also Family Fun Magazine

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound flank steak
1 medium head broccoli
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
* Chili Sauce

Directions: For marinade, combine: soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a medium-sized bowl. Add cornstarch and blend well with a spoon. Stir in garlic and ginger.

Trim any fat from steak and cut into thin slices - no more than 1/4 inch thick and no more than 1 1/2 inches long. Stir pieces into marinade and cover bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.

While meat marinades, cut broccoli into small florets and set aside. Start cooking rice so it's all ready at the same time.

Pour 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil into wok or large saute pan. Heat up on high temperature until it's very hot. Add meat and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until slightly browned. Transfer meat to a plate. Immediately add broccoli and chicken or beef broth to pan. Uncover pan and stir in the meat and oyster sauce. Cook uncovered for another 1-2 minutes, until broccoli is tender. Makes about 4-5 servings. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Penne Piccolini

-Jenny Flake, Picky-palate.com

½ Cup roasted red bell peppers from can or fresh
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/3 Cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 Cup pine nuts *(or pecans)
1 ½ Cups basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Penne Piccolini (penne)
¼ Cup heavy cream, if desired

1. Place roasted red peppers and garlic into food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add the parmesan, pine nuts, basil leaves and salt. With processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Set aside.
2. Cook penne according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large rimmed skillet or pot. Pour in pesto and stir. Stir in heavy cream if desired. Heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Best served immediately.

6 servings

Queso

-Brandon

1 lb. white American cheese (from the Deli counter)
4 oz. can green chiles (or less - to taste)
3/4 to 1 cup whole milk
1-2 Tbsp. sliced jarred jalapenos, chopped
1 Tbsp. jalapeno juice from jar
Additional milk as needed

Put all ingredients in a double boiler. Stir consistently until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Add more milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Serve with tortilla chips and more jalapenos on the side.