Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

*Mom, these are the sugar cookies we made this year that you loved so much.
*This recipe is originally from all recipes.com
*Reminder, if we make these again, we can halve the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Directions
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Flourless Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

KM - These are the cookies from Journey Group that were next to the granola bars. :)

Makes 1 dozen
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
2 Tbs. butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Mix until blended.

Portion cookies onto a greased baking sheet, approximately 1 - inches apart.

Bake 12 - 15 min.

Remove cookies from baking sheet and allow to cool on wire rack.

*Originally found on carrotsncake.com*

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. red food coloring
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well. Beat in food coloring. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 -12 min. Let cool slightly before transferring to wire racks.

Flourless Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 2 dozen (says the recipe. I doubled it and got about 30-36)

1 c. creamy peanut butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt ( i think i forgot this, and they were fine)
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (i used mini chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Stir together first 5 ingredients until well blended. Stir in chocolate morsels.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets. If the dough is sticky, spray spoon with cooking spray for easier release.
3. Bake 350 for 12 - 14 min or until puffed and lightly browned. COol on baking sheets on a wire rack for 5 min. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 15 min.

Vegetarian sloppy joes

Serves 4
From parenting magazine April 2012

In a skillet, heat 2T oil over med heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sautée for 1 min. Stir in 1can of black beans, 15 oz good quality salsa, 1T brown sugar, 1T Worcestershire sauce, 1 t Dijon mustard, 1/2 t cumin, and 1/4 t salt. Bring to simmer and cook 10 min.

Fish Mediterranean

This recipe calls for Mahi-Mahi, but any white fish works. AND really, the topping is so good, I'd be just as happy eating the topping over rice without the fish.

1/2 onion, chopped
2T Oil
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch Italian Seasoning**
5 Roma tomatoes, peeled and chopped**
**Instead of the romas and Italian seasoning, I subbed a can of Italian diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/4 c. white wine
24 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
4T capers
1 T lemon juice
3 T parmesan cheese (I didn't use this)
Fresh basil (I didn't use this either)
1 lb Mahi-Mahi

1. Preheat oven to 425. Bake fish for 12 min until tender and flaky.
2. In pan, sautee onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 min.
3. Add tomatoes and Italian seasoning, wine, olives, capers, lemon juice and basil.
4. Reduce heat. Add cheese. Cook 15 min. or until reduced to a thick sauce.

*Serve over rice

Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew

This recipe is from Chloe's Kitchen by Chloe Coscarelli

Made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! And very healthy too.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used coconut oil instead)
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-in cubes) - I bought this pre-cut from Trader Joe's
1 large unpeedled apple, diced
5 ounces baby spinach

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and saute onions and carrots until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry, and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant. Stir in lentils, broth, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash and apples, cover, and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.

Slow Cooker Chili

*From "Simply in Season"

1 lb ground beef
*Brown in large fry pan

1 onion (chopped)
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 c. green pepper (chopped)
1 c. celery (chopped)
*Add and saute for 3-5 min. Place in Slow Cooker

4 c. cooked kidney beans or pinto beans
4 c. tomatoes (chopped) OR tomato juice OR canned tomatoes
1-2 Tb. Chili powder
1 Tb sugar, honey or molasses
1 tsp salt or seasoned salt
1 c. corn (I used frozen)
1 c. mushrooms (chopped. optional, but a yummy addition!)
1 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
1 hot chili pepper (minced; optional) - I didn't use this. I used a little hot sauce instead.
*Add everything (except mushrooms if using) and cook on high for 15 min. Then cook on low for 8 - 10 hours. Add mushrooms during last hour. Serve as a soup or over rice or pasta.

Yields 8 c.
(this lasted us more than two meals)

Vegetarian Groundnut Stew

*From "Simply in Season"

2 c. onion (chopped)
2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
3 c. winter squash such as butternut (peeled and cubed)
2 c. cabbage (chopped
1 dried chili pepper or ground red pepper to taste (I left this out because my kids won't eat spicy)
3 c. tomato juice (or pureed canned tomatoes)
1 c. apple juice
1-2 teaspoons ginger root (peeled and minced)
1-2 c. green beans (I cut them into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 c. peanut butter (*Note: if you use natural peanut butter, you will need to add salt to this dish)

1. In large frypan, saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbs oil until translucent.
2. Add squash, cabbage and chili pepper. Saute until flavors are mixed.
3. Add tomato juice, apple juice and ginger root. Cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 min.
4. Add green beans and simmer 5 minutes more.
5. Stir in peanut butter and simmer at very low heat until ready to serve. Serve on top of brown rice or millet with toppings (optional- I didn't use any of these): chopped green onions, parsley, cilantro, peaches or other fruit, crushed peanuts, flaked coconut.

Says it make 6 servings. It lasted the four of us three meals.

Crock Pot Chicken Wings

3 pounds of chicken wings
2 jars of Chicken Wing Sauce (12 oz jars)
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 to 2 teaspoons bottled hot pepper sauce
2/3 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing (for dipping)

For sauce, in a slow cooker combine chicken wing sauce, melted butter, and hot pepper sauce. Add chicken wings, stirring to coat with sauce.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4-5 hours, or high heat setting for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Serve immediately or keep warm on low heat setting for up to 2 hours. Serve chicken wings with salad dressing.

Number of Servings: 16
From: Kim Martin