Sweet Pickled Onions

Ingredients:

8 C. thinly sliced sweet onions

2 T. canning salt

1¾ 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 ½-inch 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 ½-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 ¼-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 1¼ 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

1½ t. poultry seasoning

½ t. sage

½ 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.

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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 ½ cup butter in blender and blend until smooth.
5. Add spices, and 2 eggs and blend until smooth.
6. Pour over cubed bread and mix well.
7. If too dry, add more melted butter, or mix up a smaller batch of the celery, onion, egg mixture.

Note: This recipe is a bit of a mishmash.  I'm trying to recreate my mom's stuffing.  That stuffing was my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.  She would never write it down, despite me asking multiple times.  After making it with her the last time, I tried to write down the steps and ingredients.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to recreate it just right yet, and Mom has since passed. This recipe will be cleaned up and simplified when I get it right.

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° F (190° 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

1⅔ C. sugar

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla extract

3-5 drops bright green food coloring

3⅓ C. all-purpose flour

2 t. corn starch

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1½ C. red and green M&Ms plus additional ½ 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. With mixer on low speed, 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° F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
10. Drop cookie dough by heaping 1½ tablespoon-sized scoops onto prepared cookie sheets, for perfectly round cookies roll dough in your hands into a smooth ball.
11. Bake on 350° F 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.

Berry Healthy Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 C. blueberries

1 C. raspberries

1 C. pomegranate juice

1 banana

1 C. plain yogurt

1 C. berry flavored sherbet

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Tip:  Rinse your blender and cup immediately upon putting them in the sink; the particles from the berries tend to stick and are sometimes difficult to wash away.

Grilled Shrimp Poppers with Chorizo & Bacon

Ingredients:

12 extra-large jalapeno peppers, grilled or roasted
4 strips thick-cut bacon
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C. Mexican chorizo
1 C. previously grilled or sautéed shrimp, chopped
1 C. cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Grill or roast the peppers for 20 minutes, or just until peppers are cooked through, but still firm.  Set aside to cool.
2. Cook the bacon at medium/low heat until crispy.
3. In the same pan, add the onions and garlic. 
4. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the Mexican chorizo and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes, breaking down the chorizo as it cooks.   If there is too much grease in the pan, drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Slice the jalapenos in half, lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins.
7. In a bowl, combine the chorizo mixture, bacon, shrimp, and shredded cheese.
8. Fill all jalapenos.
9. Chill the stuffed peppers for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 400° F.
11. Bake the poppers for 10 to 12 minutes, then for 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler.
12. Garnish with your favorite salsa.

Tip:  Grill peppers and shrimp ahead of time, even a day ahead of time.