Pecan Oatmeal Cookies (Mary Snyder)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound butter (TWO sticks)
• 1 C brown sugar (or less depending on your taste)
• 1 C white sugar (or less depending on your taste)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 C chopped pecans
• 3 C rolled oats

Directions

1. Cream butter, sugars.  Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
2. Add dry ingredients, vanilla, pecans and oats.
3. Drop onto greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes
5. Batter may be chilled, rolled into cookie sized balls, and frozen for later use.  

Warm Brie and Pear Tartlets

 

This is another recipe that I'll post about if I ever make it 😋

Ingredients

• 24 mini phyllo tartlets
• 1/4 pound ripe Brie cheese, cut into 24 small chunks
• 1 ripe pear, diced into small pieces
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 T honey, or to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.  Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.  
2. Arrange tart shells onto prepared pan.  Put a piece of Brie cheese into each shell.  Sprinkle diced pear and a couple of thyme leaves into each shell and drizzle with honey.  
3. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and tartlets are golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Bacon Onion Jam

 

From the website:  https://iambaker.net/onion-bacon-jam/

I made this for our turkey slider meal on Nov. 28, 2024.  I followed the recipe mostly exactly, except I didn't caramelize the onions enough :(.  Next time!  I will actually make this again!

Ingredients

• One pound bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon)
• 2 large yellow onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 2 large (or 6 small shallots), diced (about 3 cups)
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 C light brown sugar, packed (I used dark because that's what I had)
• 1/4 C maple syrup (and I used REAL maple syrup!!)
• 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp chili powder, optional (I didn't put this in, but I will next time)

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, cook bacon until crispy.  Place the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels to catch the grease.
2. Sauté the onions and diced shallots until caramelized.
3. Mix in the garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, and cooked bacon.
4. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.  About the consistency of jam.
5. Serve warm or cold.

Winter Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

 

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From the website:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13482/winter-fruit-salad-with-lemon-poppyseed-dressing/

Ingredients

• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1/2 C lemon juice
• 2 tsp diced onion
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 C oil
• 1 T poppy seeds

• Head of romaine lettuce
• apples, pears, grapes, dried cranberries (whatever fruit you want, personally, I don't like dried cranberries so I might use raisins)
• 1 C cashews
• Shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard and salt in a blender.  Process until well-blended.  With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth.  Add poppy seeds and process just a few more seconds more to mix.  Pour dressing over salad just before serving, and toss to coat.

Roasted Cabbage Wedge with Onion Dijon Mustard Sauce

 

Made this on Dec. 17, 2024.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly :(.  Sooo, it was way too salty and roasted cabbage?  Blech.  🤮.  NOT making this again!
Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 green cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), medium
• 2 T fresh onion
• 1 T dijon. mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 T garlic-insured olive oil
• 3 T butter

Directions

1. Cut the cabbage into wedges by removing the outer leaves of the head, then cut the head in half.  Cut each half into 4 to 5 wedges (depending on the size of your cabbage head).   Leave some of the core in each wedge so they will stay together
2. Grease or line a baking sheet, brush each wedge with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees, turning once, or until the edges turn brown and crisp.  

3.  Make the sauce while the wedges roast.  Whisk together butter, onion, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper, chives or parsley for serving.  Serve over cabbage.

REALITY!

Another recipe I need to try.  I've never cooked with plantains but I LOVE them.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe plantains, peeled and diagonally sliced 1/2" thick (about 1 lb) (plantains are ready to cook when their peels turn black on the outside.  Either buy them black or let them ripen before cooking.  OR buy heat and serve frozen plantains.
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1 (1o-oz) pkg. yellow rice
• 1 small jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 T)
• 1 1/4 C chopped red onion (from 1 onion, divided)
• 2 (16-oz) cans seasoned black beans, drained, DO NOT RINSE
• 1/4 C water
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 radishes (about 3 oz), chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the plantain slices in a single layer on the parchment.  Drizzle with 1 T of the oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Roast in preheated oven until lightly browned and very tender, 16 to 18 minutes.  Set aside. 
2. IF using packaged yellow rice, prepare according to package directions.
3. While rice and plantains are cooking, heat remaining 1 T oil in a saucepan.  Add jalapeño and 1 C of the red onion; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in black beans, water, cumin and remaining 1/2 t salt; cook until liquid is slightly reduced, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls.  Top each with beans, roasted plaintains, chopped radishes and diced avocados.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and remaining 1/4 C red onion.  Serve with lime wedges.

Can add other ingredients, eg. spinach, chopped tomatoes, sour cream.  Or make it non vegetarian and add chicken.  Maybe the slow-cooker salsa chicken???

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

 

Another newbie.  Haven't used my slow cooker in a while :).  

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (could use other chicken pieces)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 pepper
• 2 (16-ounce) containers of medium salsa
• 1/4 C chopped fresh oregano
• 8 cups rice
• Chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Add chicken to slow cooker; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.  Add salsa and oregano.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH until thermometer registers 165 deg. F (about 2 hours).  
3. Turn off slow cooker and transfer chicken to a large heatproof bowl.  
4. Shred chicken; add liquid from slow cooker as needed.  
5. Serve over rice, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.