Soft Ginger Cookies

These cookies flatten and crack as they cool. The secret in keeping them soft is to remove them from the oven as soon as they are set but before they start to brown.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses

4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
l/2 tsp. cloves
l/2 tsp. salt


Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat until thick. Add the molasses and stir until combined.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Add to creamed mixture and stir just until blended. If the dough is very soft (hot day? warm kitchen?), wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes (or freezer for about 10-15min;).

Shape into 1” balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350º for 7 - 10 minutes or just until set but before they start to brown. It is about 9 minutes in my oven. I look at the bottom of the cookies to see if they are browning. 

White Chile

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken (cooked & cubed)
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
6-8 small garlic cloved, minced
1 can diced green chiles
2 (15 oz). can white beans (do not drain)
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp chicken bullion
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper(depending on how tough you are)
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cheese
2-3 TBS chopped cilantro

Directions

Cook the chicken and set aside. In a large stock pot heat up vegetable oil and add minced onion. Cook 1-2 minutes and add minced garlic. Cook another 1-2 minutes until both are tender. Add the diced green chiles and cook for about 1 minutes. Add beans, broth, buillion, cumin, oregano & cayenne pepper & cooked chicken. Stirl together and put a lid on the pot. Simmer at a boil for about 10-15 minutes. Turn down to a low heat until ready to serve.

Right before serving, stir in cheese & sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

(Great with tortilla chips!)

Serves about 6 adults.


Recipe from Colleen Morrell
Photo by Sophie Weber

The Salsa made famous by Allison

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin (membranes & seeds included... because you're tough!!)
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 cup Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• 1/2 whole Lime Juice

Directions

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like---I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.

Recipe of the Pioneer Woman recommended by Allison Jenkins Johnson

Photo by Haley Rencher

French Dip with Au Jus... YUM!

Ingredients

3 pound roast (I use rump roast, but whatever kind of beef roast should work)
1 packet of Au Jus gravy
1 packet of dry Italian Dressing mix
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
Rolls/Hogi buns
Swiss Cheese

Directions

Put roast, Au Jus packet, Italian Dressing Mix & Beef Broth in the crockpot for 10 hours on high. After the roast has been cooking for about 5 hours, try and shred it a bit. Then do that again every now and again until the meat is all shredded.

Once the meat is all tender and shreds easily, strain the Au Jus and put the meat on the rolls. Place Swiss cheese on the top and broil the sandwiches for about 1 minute (with open face)  - or until the cheese is melted. Serve with Au Jus

YUMMY!


Recipe from Jenn Carter
Photo by Haley Rencher

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl cream together sugars, butter, shortening, egg and vanilla. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet ones and mix. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake until slightly brown (10 minutes). Immediately remove from baking sheet and let cool.

Makes about 2 dozen


Recipe from Tricia Green

Cake Balls

Ingredients 1 cake mix (any flavor) 1 tub store bought frosting (cream cheese is good) 1 package almond bark (aka candy coating) any special additions you want! Directions Make cake mix according to package When cake mix is just out of the oven, break it up and put it in a large bowl Mix in frosting. Put mixture in freezer for 20-30 minutes until cool and easy to handle. Scoop 1-2 TBS into a ball. This ball can be as big as you want Put balls on a cookie sheet and back into the fridge or freezer until cool and firm (about 10-20 min) In the meantime, melt almond bark in a double broiler. When balls are ready, coat in the almond bark. Add more almond bark through the process if it starts to get too clumpy. Put coated balls back on cookie sheet until firm (5 min or so) Recipe by Jessica Nye

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

-4 cups Macaroni

-8 Tablespoons Butter (Salted Butter)

-1 or 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin

-10 slices Regular Bacon (I usually cut before I cook and I used as much bacon as I have, 10 -sliced is just a suggestion)

-¼ cups All-purpose Flour

-2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk

-½ cups cream if you have it… if not, just omit this

-2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten

-Salt And Pepper, to taste

-Dried Bread Crumbs to cover casserole

-½ cups Grated cheddar jack Cheese

-½ cups Grated mozerella Cheese

-½ cups Grated Parmigian Cheese

-4 ounces, cream cheese

-You can honestly use any cheeses you have. You just want to have 2 cups total of whatever cheese.

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry bacon until almost crispy. Drain oil into a bowl, but leave bacon in pan.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter with bacon and sauté onions over medium low heat until golden brown and soft.

Add 4 more tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and cream, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle dried bread crumbs on the top (as much as desired). Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve with meat or a green salad.

Original Recipe from Ree Drummond
Variations by Haley Rencher
Photo by Ree Drummond

Laura's Rolls

Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1 package of yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 cup butter
3 1/4 cup flour (about)

Directions:
Combine water, milk yeast and sugar and let sit until yeast is foamy. Add salt egg & softened butter & Mix. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should be slightly sticky, but pulling away from the edges and easy to work with. Let dough raise for 45 minutes. Punch down and split into 2 balls. roll out into circles and spread melted butter on the top. Cut into pizza shaped slices. Roll from the thick end to the point so they look like crescent rolls. Set rolls on greased pan and let raise for 1 hour. Bake at 400 degrees for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Once you pull them out of the oven, brush them with melted butter.

YUMMY!!!

Recipe by Laura