Rice Christmas Treats

Here's a good holiday spin on a classic recipe- rice krispie treats!  Makes about two dozen treats.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
6 cups mini marshmallows
green food coloring
6 cups rice krispies cereal
1 cup red and green plain M&M's candy

Kitchen gear: 
13 by 9 inch pan
Non-stick cooking spray
Wax paper

Directions:
1.  Place the butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows and stir until they are coated evenly with butter.  Microwave for 45 seconds.
2.  Stir in 6-10 drops of food coloring.  Heat another 45 seconds in the microwave.
3.  Add rice krispies cereal, stir until well mixed.  Spray the inside of the 13 by 9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, then scrape the rice krispie mix into the pan.
4.  Tear off a sheet of wax paper large enough to cover the pan.  Spray lightly with the cooking spray and use this to press the rice krispie mix into an even layer in the pan. 
5.  Remove the wax paper and sprinkle M&M's over the top of the rice krispie mix.  Use the wax paper sheet to press M&M's into the rice krispie mix.
6.  Let the mix stand for a couple hours.  Use a large knife to cut the mix into bars or triangles.  Store at room temperature in an air-tight container.

Creepy Caprese Sammiches

I made these for a Halloween potluck, and they were a big hit!  They're supposed to look like eyes, but they work for a non-themed gathering also.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (the long skinny kind)
6 roma tomatoes
8 oz ball of mozzarella cheese
1 can sliced black olives, drained
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Crushed basil flakes
Black pepper

Directions:
1.  Do the prep-work: this step can be done the day before if needed.  Slice the bread into one inch thick slices.  Slice the tomatoes- I got about six slices per tomato.  Slice the cheese, and cut the larger pieces in half.  You are aiming to get equal amounts of bread, tomato and cheese.  Store each in a separate container until 30 minutes before serving.
2.  Place the bread slices on a large plate and cover with a light drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
3.  Top each bread slice with a tomato, cheese and olive slice. 
4.  Drizzle lightly again with the olive oil and vinegar, then finish with a sprinkle of basil and black pepper over the top.

*** Note: Some of you may have just the store bought bottles of oil and vinegar, not the glass bottles which "drizzle."  Try filling the bottle cap with liquid and quickly pouring it across the plate.  This will ensure you don't accidentally pour out half the bottle when trying to "drizzle."

Skinny Sloppy Joes

I remember the good old days when Sloppy Joes and tater tots were a weekly meal at my house.  Today, my husband and I are eating healthier things, but sometimes we do get that nostalgic craving.  Here's a way to enjoy the Sloppy Joe taste without all the canned calories.  Makes about six sandwiches.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (red, green or mixed)
10 oz tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Buns (we used thin, whole wheat buns)
Cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook turkey, onion and pepper in a large pan, stirring occasionally until the meat is no longer pink.  Place the mix in a colander to drain off the excess grease, then return it to the pan.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, water, chili powder and garlic powder.  Heat to bubbling, then simmer on low heat for five minutes.
3. Scoop mix onto buns and top with cheese if desired.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

These bite-sized treats are decadent and delicious!  The preparation is a bit messy, so I would suggest working with a partner.  Makes three to four dozen balls.

Ingredients:
1 small jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter
1 package (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 box rice krispies cereal
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Scoop out all of the peanut butter and place in a large saucepan with the stick of butter.  Heat on low, stirring occasionally until completely melted.
2.  Remove the pan from heat and stir in about half the box of powdered sugar. You need to get the consistency of a stiff cookie dough, otherwise they will be too runny.  Add more powdered sugar until you get this consistency.
3.  Add 1 1/2 cups of rice krispies, more if desired.  Stir until well mixed.
4.  Take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll them into balls with your hands.  Your hands will get messy after a few, so wash and dry your hands and then get back to it. 
5.  Pour chocolate chips into a pot and heat using the "double boiler" method.  Basically, have a separate pot with simmering water and place the pot with chocolate on top of it, so the steam indirectly heats it up.  Heat chocolate until completely melted, then remove from heat.
6.  Roll peanut butter balls in melted chocolate, place on a plate covered in wax paper.  Refrigerate the balls for a few hours until the chocolate shell has hardened.

***Note:  To save time and mess, grab a partner for the last three steps.  One person handles the peanut butter mix and rolls out the balls while the other person handles the chocolate coating.  Easy!

Bacon Brownies

You know you've always wanted to try them... the logic commonly used is, "if I like items A and B, why wouldn't I like A and B combined?" So here is an amazingly easy recipe to wow your friends and family- just add bacon!

Ingredients:
5 strips bacon (more if desired, but it's a good start)
1 box brownie mix
Required brownie mix-ins (such as eggs, water, etc.)

Directions:
1.  Cook bacon strips in a pan until just crispy.  You want to be able to cut them easily with a knife, but not rock-hard.  Place bacon on a paper towel to cool.  Reserve bacon grease.
2.  Assemble brownie ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Instead of using plain vegetable oil, use the bacon grease.  If there isn't enough, add vegetable oil until you get the required ammount.  Stir until just combined.
3.  Chop up bacon strips into bite-sized pieces.  Fold into the brownie mix.
4.  Pour the mix into a greased pan and bake according to brownie package directions.  Let cool before eating- the brownies will cut easier and you won't burn your mouth :-)

BBQ Chicken Skewers

This recipe is easy to make, and only requires a few minutes of cooking on the grill.  Makes approximately four skewers.

Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 can pineapple chunks in juice (reserve juice)
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 onion, cut into chunks

Directions:
1. Place BBQ sauce and one tablespoon of pineapple juice in a large ziplock bag.  Add chicken, seal, and shake to coat evenly.  Let the bag sit for five minutes.
2. Assemble the chicken, pepper, onion and pineapple on skewers in an alternating fashion.  Tip: be careful when sliding them on, you don't want to poke yourself or get a splinter.  Also, the chicken will be a bit slippery, so top it with an onion or pepper chunk to help it go down the skewer.
3.  Grill on the BBQ on low heat until the chicken has fully cooked through. Use a fork to remove the food from the skewers, divide between plates and serve.

Note: Pictured on the top of the pile is a bacon skewer with leftover pineapple.  It's not included in the recipe, but it's darn tasty!  Also, you can use the leftover pineapple juice in a cocktail, or just drink it as is.

Fondue for Dinner

Fondue is back in style, and it's a great way to share a meal with your family and friends.  Get yourself a fondue pot (or borrow one from a friend), grab some ingredients and get cookin'!  This recipe is for a main dish fondue- a seasoned broth in which you can cook meat and veggies.  I would suggest making the dips first, then making the broth so once it's done you're ready to go.  Serves up to 4 people.

Mojo-style Broth
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon jerk seasoning (or blend of spices, if you don’t have jerk)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 cloves minced garlic

Dippers:
Assorted bite-sized chunks of meat, such as chicken and beef
Small peeled shrimp
Assorted bite-sized vegetables, such as broccoli and baby carrots

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients in saucepan on stovetop, bring to a boil.
2. Transfer to fondue pot, increase heat until broth simmers.
3. Add vegetables first- they will take a few minutes to cook. Use fondue forks to cook the meat pieces in the broth. Meat and poultry will take 1-2 minutes to cook, and shrimp about a minute. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the vegetables. Use the dips listed below, or any other sauces you like.

Green Goddess Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into slices
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely sliced chives (or green onions)
1 tablespoon dry Italian herbs

Directions:
1. Microwave cream cheese 1-2 minutes, whisking after each minute, until cream cheese melts and mixture is smooth.
2. Stir in milk, sour cream, parsley, chives and herbs. Refrigerate for a few minutes, until cold. Serve with fondue.

Curry Dip
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Combine ingredients, serve with fondue.

Taco Soup!

This is a War Kitten original, created by my husband Mark.  It's kinda like a Tex-Mex chili, but easy and quick to make.  It's also loaded with flavor and very filling!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup shredded cheese
Sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1.  Cook the ground meat in a large frying pan until it's no longer pink.  Drain grease if desired- we used lean turkey so there wasn't much.
2.  Stir in taco seasoning until well mixed.  Add tomatoes and olives, cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
3.  Add cheese and stir until it melts into the mixture.  Divide into bowls and top with sour cream if desired.

Chicken Cordon NOM

A modern twist on an old classic! Instead of cooking whole chicken breasts, I chopped up the chicken to mix the flavors together.  Works well paired with egg noodles, or broccoli florets for the low-carb eaters.  Serves two.

Ingredients:
4 strips bacon
2 chicken breast halves, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese (or 4 slices, chopped)
2 cups broccoli florets (pictured) or cooked egg noodles

Directions:
1.  Cook bacon in a large pan until slightly crispy. Remove bacon, leaving grease in pan.
2.  Add chicken to pan and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3.  Stir in soup, water, wine, cheese, and bacon. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in broccoli or noodles.  Divide mixture between two bowls and serve.

Optional: top the bowls with shredded cheese and/or cracked black pepper.  Enjoy!

King Ranch Casserole

I recently completed a family recipe project, which introduced me to this yummy Tex-Mex casserole.  This particular recipe was taken from Campbell's Kitchen website, but closely resembles my family's version.

Ingredients:
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup salsa
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 chicken breast halves, cooked and diced
12 small corn tortillas cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup shredded cheese (we used a Mexican blend)
Sliced green onion

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the soup, salsa, sour cream, chili powder, tomatoes and chicken in a mixing bowl.
2. Place half of the tortilla strips as a layer in a 9 by 13 inch casserole pan. Top with a layer of half the chicken mixture. Repeat the layers again to fill the pan. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with cheese.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream. Sprinkle the top with the green onion (not in picture).

Mint Chocolate Cookies

Got this recipe from one of Rachel Ray's shows. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, or whenever you feel like green cookies.

Ingredients:
1 package dry chocolate chip cookie mix (plus the required mix-ins like egg and butter)
1 teaspoon mint extract
A few drops green food coloring

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven according to cookie mix directions.  Pour the cookie mix into a mixing bowl, add the required mix-ins.
2.  Add mint extract and food coloring, stir well until color is uniform.
3.  Scoop heaping spoonfulls of dough onto baking sheets and bake according to package directions.  Cookies will expand and flatten as they bake.

The Frooty Leprechaun Cocktail

It's March, and we're celebrating with delicious green recipes!  This drink is for adults only!

Ingredients:
Ice
1 1/2 shots vodka
1/2 shot Midori
1/2 shot apple pucker
1/2 shot sweet and sour
Sprite or 7up soda

Directions:
1. Fill a glass with ice cubes. 
2. Add alcoholic ingredients, fill with soda and stir. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Truffles

Skip the candy store this Valentine's Day- try giving your loved ones homemade chocolate truffles!  I got this recipe from the Hershey's website. You can always play with variations, like replacing half the vanilla with your favorite liqueur.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter- no substitutions!
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cocoa/chopped nuts for topping

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pan on low heat.  Add cocoa powder, stir until smooth. 
2. Add condensed milk and increase heat to medium.  Cook, stirring constantly, about four minutes, until smooth and glossy.
3. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours, until firm.
4. Scoop out teaspoons of chocolate and roll into small balls.  Roll the balls in cocoa powder or chopped nuts.  Refrigerate 1-2 hours, until firm.  Store in refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes: Makes about 3 dozen truffles. I got the mini foil cups at Michael's craft store.

Chocolate Almond Bark

This is an easy microwave recipe that makes a great dessert or snack.  It's best to keep these chilled in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat them.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1 pound chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Place the almonds and butter in an 8 inch glass pan.  Cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, stirring at least twice, until almonds are toasted. Set the glass pan aside.

2. Place chocolate chips in a large microwave safe bowl and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.  Stir in the almonds and pour onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

3. Use a spatula to spread the mixture to the desired thickness.  You can also try placing another sheet of wax paper on top and using a rolling pin to level out the mixture.  Refrigerate a few hours or overnight, until hardened.  Chop up the bark into small pieces.

New England(ish) Clam Chowder

After searching the web and dozens of "the best" clam chowder recipes, I threw a couple of them together until it sounded right.  Since I hail from California, it may not be the authentic New England recipe, but it's easy and delicious!  Serve with crusty French or Sourdough bread.

Ingredients:

3 slices bacon
½ onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound russet potatoes, chopped into small cubes
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the bacon in a large, deep pan (large enough to hold all the chowder) until cooked through. Remove bacon and let cool.
2. Cook onion and celery in bacon grease until softened. While they’re cooking, chop the cooled bacon into bite-sized pieces.
3. Sprinkle flour over the onion and celery and stir to mix. Stir in the chicken stock, clam juice, cream, garlic pepper, bacon and potatoes. Heat on high until chowder starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the clams and cook for another 2 minutes, until the clams are just firm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.