Honey Chile Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 limes, 2 zested and juiced and 1 halved
3 green onions, chopped, whites and greens separated
1 mounded T. chile garlic paste
2 T. honey

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
3. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp start to turn pink and are almost cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. 
4. Add the lime zest and the whites of the green onions. 
5. Stir into the shrimp and cook until the onion whites soften, about a minute, then add the chile garlic paste, honey and lime juice. 
6. Stir to combine, then continue to cook until the sauce has a syrupy consistency, an additional 2 minutes.
7. Transfer to a small platter and garnish with the green onion tops. 
8. Zest one of the lime halves over the dish, then cut the remaining half into wedges and serve alongside. 

Total Time:  20 minutes

Serves 2 - 4

Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients:

4 whole Russet Potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 T. Butter, softened
1 1/2 C. Heavy Cream
1/2 C. Whole Milk
2 T. Flour
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 t. Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
1 C. Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a baking dish.
3. Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
5. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes.
6. Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture. 
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 
8. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. 
9. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful. 

Prep Time:  10 minutes
Cook Time:  55 minutes

Sweet Pickled Onions

Ingredients:

8 C. thinly sliced sweet onions

2 T. canning salt

1-3/4 c. white vinegar

1 C. sugar

1 t. dried thyme

Directions:

1. Place onions in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with canning salt and toss. 
2. Let stand 1 hour. 
3. Rinse and drain onions, squeezing to remove excess liquid.
4. In a Dutch oven, combine vinegar, sugar and thyme; bring to a boil. 
5. Add onions and return to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat.
8. Carefully ladle hot mixture into four hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. 
9. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. 
10. Wipe rims. 
11. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.
12. Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. 
13. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. 
14. Remove jars and cool.

Potato and Canadian Bacon Slow Cooker Chowder

Ingredients:

2 C. potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large carrot, diced

1 C. leek, chopped, white part only

1 medium garlic clove, minced

4 C. fat free chicken broth

½ C. pearl barley

¼ t. dried thyme, crushed

¼ t. black pepper

4 oz. Canadian-style bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

bay leaf

½ C. fat free evaporated milk

2 fl oz fat free creamer,  such as fat-free half-and-half

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, leek, garlic, chicken broth, barley, bay leaf, thyme, pepper and Canadian bacon. 
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until vegetables and barley are tender.
3. Stir in evaporated milk and half-and-half and heat through uncovered, about 10 minutes. 

Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Old-Fashioned Stuffing

Ingredients:

4 C. diced celery

1 C. onion, chopped

1 C. butter

4 qt. dry bread cubes

1 T. salt

1 1/2 t. poultry seasoning

1/2 t. sage

1/2 t. pepper

2 eggs

Warm broth or water

Directions:

1. Cook celery and onion in hot butter, until transparent. 
2. Turn into large bowl. 
3. Add other ingredients; mix well. 
4. Makes enough stuffing for 14 to 18 pound turkey. 
5. If a moist dressing is preferred add more broth.

Mom's Variation:

1. Cube 2 loaves of bread the night before needed, and allow to dry overnight.
2. Cut celery stalks into large chunks.
3. Cut onion into quarters
4. Put celery, onion, and butter in blender and blend until smooth.
5. Add spices, and 2 eggs and blend until smooth.
6. Pour over bread mixture and mix well.
7. If too dry, add more melted butter, or mix up a smaller batch of the celery, onion, egg mixture.

Easy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¾ C. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

½ t. baking powder

1 C. butter, softened

1 ½ C. white sugar

1 egg  

1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. 
4. Beat in egg and vanilla. 
5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. 
6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. 
8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Grinch Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C. unsalted butter, softened

1 2/3 C. sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

3-5 drops bright green food coloring

3 1/3 C. all-purpose flour

2 t. corn starch

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 1/2 C. red and green M&Ms plus additional 1/2 C. for topping cookies, if desired

Directions:

1. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until well-combined and light and fluffy (about 1 minute).
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in vanilla extract and food coloring, until well-combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Set mixer to low speed and gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. 
6. Add ingredients and stir until well-incorporated.
7. Fold in M&Ms and cover bowl with plastic wrap. 
8. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
9. Once dough has finished chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
10. Drop cookie dough by heaping 1 1/2 Tbsp-sized scoops onto prepared cookie sheets, for perfectly round cookies roll dough in your hands into a smooth ball.
11. Bake on 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. 
12. If desired, gently press additional M&Ms into the tops of each cookie for decoration while they are still warm.
13. Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet before removing.

Variations:

• Substitute red/white/pink M&Ms and pink food coloring (in place of green) at Valentine's Day for a Valentine's Day treat.
• Substitute orange/purple/green M&Ms and orange food coloring for Halloween cookies.
• Substitute Easter pastel M&Ms for a Spring cookie.