Time for another cookie tray....

Yes. It. Is.  Just when our resolve to be "good" was going so well, here it is time for another cookie tray!    I recently contributed this to a week-end meeting.

On the tray are the usual Rolled Sugar cookies, cut in heart shapes, then dipped before adding sprinkles.  I used white almond bark for dipping.  The next rows on either side are Red Velvet Thumbprint cookies, a Betty Crocker recipe.  In the middle are Cake Mix cookies.  

While it is the general practice here to bake "from scratch," the Cake Mix cookies are always good for a change.  Any flavor of cake mix can be used, adding 1/2 cup of oil and two eggs, then mixing.  Any additions that you wish can also be stirred in the dough.  Drop teaspoons of the dough on the cookie sheet (I line mine with Silpat) and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.  The cookies in the above picture were made with a chocolate cake mix.  Chopped pecans and Valentine chips were added to the dough.  The recipe will make 3-4 dozen.  Try it!  I think you'll like them!

Time for a "Souper Bowl...."

With a prediction of some winter weather headed in our direction, a pot of chili seemed to be in order.

Bubbling in the pot!

I have used this recipe a number of years.  It seems that I have to be ever-watchful of those pounds, and I have developed what I think is a good low-cal choice.

VERSATILE CHILI

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb. ground white turkey 

1 (15 1/2 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 cup V8 juice 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder 

- Heat olive oil in saucepan; add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is soft.  Crumble ground white turkey into pan.  Brown, stirring well to break up turkey.  Drain off fat, if there is any.

- Add kidney beans, tomatoes, V8 juice, and seasonings. 

- Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

I have added other chili-type seasonings to this at times.  The ground white turkey really "likes" flavor added.:-)  I also use ground white meat chicken in this recipe.

I call this "versatile" because not only is it delicious in a bowl - topped with some low-fat sour cream and low-fat Mexican blend cheese - it makes a great topping for baked potatoes!  Also, it's good for homemade nachos!  Choose the tortilla chip of your choice, arrange them on a microwaveable plate, and top with some cheese, heating in the microwave until cheese is melted.  You could also add other desired toppings, such as jalapeños, etc.  Some of that lf sour cream is good on top, too! 

I want to mention that purchasing no salt added/low sodium products has been a policy of mine for quite awhile now.  That way, I am able to control the amount of sodium in what we eat.

I'm sure you know what to do with leftovers.:-)

A taste of cheese....

This recipe has been in my files for many years - maybe since the late-seventies.  It was printed in the local newspaper and has become a favorite of City Girl through the years.

Go ahead and use those heart-shaped dishes!  This is Heart Month, plus Valentine's Day comes along soon!  Use any kind of cracker you like for spreading.  If you choose to try shaping a cheese ball, I would advise that it be very well-chilled before the shaping process, as this has a softer result.

Something else that looks good - even tastes good - is this:

 

Peeled, hard-boiled eggs are good to add to that pickled beet juice!  Isn't this one pretty?  They would look great in a bowl on the party table!

If you are planning a Super Bowl party, perhaps some of the recipes from the blog this week might be good to include on your serving table.  Enjoy!

Keep those toothpicks handy....

They will be good to put to use for enjoying these:

We have never been fans of barbecue sauce/ grape jelly/etc. on meatballs and much prefer the traditional marinara for dipping these.  While the recipe specifies ground beef, I haven't used ground beef in a very long time.  Instead, these are made with ground white chicken.  Ground white turkey could also be used, depending on your budget.  When making these this time, I used Pecorino cheese.  With no seasoned bread crumbs, I simply added dried basil and dried oregano to the mix.

Of course, "leftovers" are always good this way:

If there are any leftovers from this, Munchkin the Elder loves Meatball Subs!:-)

Oh!  While you have those toothpicks handy, try them with these:

Lovely cubed potatoes, just perfect for a side dish - or a party table!  Munchkin the Younger finds that these are just what she needs!:-)

Both these recipes actually came from the Rookie Cookie page of our newspaper. 

Happy cooking!

A healthy one....

Everyone seems to want a "healthy snack."  Does this one qualify?

FRUIT AND NUT NIBBLE
1/2 pound raw cashews
1/2 pound pecans
1/2 pound almonds
1 cup chopped dried Apple
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup carob chips, optional (but why leave them out?)
- Mix all together.  Store covered.

Well, it is fruit and nuts!  They're healthy, right?:-)  The problem comes with limiting oneself to 1/4 cup!

Enjoy!

Versatile Rice Chex....

This is the savory side of that versatile Rice Chex.  This one comes from Gooseberry Patch via my  friend, BWWeavers, who posted it on Twitter before Christmas.  It, just like the sweet one yesterday, is good at anytime!

SPICY SNACK MIX

5 cups crispy cereal squares

1 cup round toasted oat cereal

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 cup mixed nuts

1 cup bite-size cheese crackers

1 stick butter

1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon hot sauce (adjust this amount per your preference)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

-Mix cereals, pretzels, nuts, and crackers together.  Melt butter; add other ingredients.  Pour over cereal mix and toss well to cover.  Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

For our preferences, I actually omitted the hot sauce from this one.  As I had pretzel twists on hand, that is what I used in this one.  Also, this isn't a gluten-free snack.

Enjoy!  

Snack time....

Happy Groundhog Day!  According to reports this morning, that groundhog didn't see his shadow!  Do you think he's certain we will have an early spring, or is he just playing with us?:-)

Are there times when you want to have special snacks around?  For many, this coming Sunday - Super Bowl time - there will be a lot of snacking.  The following recipe is one I cut out of the newspaper a number of months ago featuring that pumpkin spice flavor, but it is good at any time.

PUMPKIN SPICE CHEX MIX

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups cinnamon Chex cereal

2 cups wheat Chex cereal

2 cups honey nut Chex

8 oz. pecans

1 cup pretzels (optional)

- In small bowl, mix brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice, set aside.  In small microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter for 30 seconds.  Stir in vanilla.  In large microwave bowl, mix all cereal, pecans, and pretzels.  Pour butter mixture over cereal mix, stir until evenly distributed.  Add sugar and spice mix and stir until coated.  Microwave uncovered 5 minutes or until mix begins to brown, stirring every minute.  Spread on wax paper or a cookie sheet to cool.  Store in airtight container.

I will say that I used the more traditional method of making this Chex mix.  I placed the cereal mix on a parchment lined baking sheet, then baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Also, in an effort to make this gluten-free, I used 3 cups of the cinnamon Chex and the honey nut Chex, omitting the wheat Chex completely.  I found gluten-free pretzel twists, as well as sticks.  I think I will try walnuts the next time!

There is something "magical" about Chex cereals.  They seem to be ready to absorb any flavor one wishes to use with them. 

This will certainly be a hit at any gathering!