Crispy Coconut Almond Cookies (Jeannie Schryer)

Ingredients

• 1 C butter, softened
• 1 C sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 C flour
• 1 1/3 C almonds (coarsely ground)
• 1 1/3 C coconut flakes (I used unsweetened coconut.  If using sweetened, I'd cut down on the sugar.  

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar - add vanilla and mix.
2. Add flour, almonds, coconut and mix well.  
3. Form in to walnut-sized balls and flatten with palms and fingers evenly.
4. Place on un-greased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 295 deg. (gas oven) or 300 deg. (electric oven).
6. Bake for 22 minutes - cool on aluminum foil.
7. Put cooled cookies back on cookie sheets and bake at same temperature for another 12 minutes.
8. Cool on foil.

I made these on January 29, 2021.  NEXT time, I need to flatten the balls more before cooking.  Mine tastes great but don't look as flat as the other picture :(

Focaccia Bread

• Ingredients
• 1 1/3 C warm water
• 2 tsp sugar or honey
• 1 (0.25 ounce) package active-dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons flaked sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add warm water (about 110°F, which you can measure with a thermometer if you want to be sure it’s the right temp) and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough attachment, and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water.  Give the yeast a quick stir to mix it in with the water.  Then let it sit for 5-10 minute until the yeast is foamy.
2. Turn the mixer onto low speed, and add gradually flour, olive oil and salt.  Increase speed to medium-low, and continue mixing the dough for 5 minutes.  (If the dough is too sticky and isn’t pulling away from the sides of the bowl, add in an extra 1/4 cup flour while it is mixing.)
3. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, and use your hands to shape it into a ball.  Grease the mixing bowl (or a separate bowl) with olive oil or cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel.  Place in a warm location (I set mine by the window) and let it rise for 45-60 minutes, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and roll it out into a large circle or rectangle until that the dough is about 1/2-inch thick*.  Cover the dough with a greased piece of plastic wrap, and let the dough continue to rise for another 20 minutes.  I did this second rise on a pizza pan.
5. Remove the plastic wrap, and transfer the dough to a large baking sheet.  Use your fingers to poke deep dents (seriously, poke all the way down to the baking sheet!) all over the surface of the dough.  Then drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil evenly all over the top of the dough, and sprinkle evenly with the fresh rosemary needles and sea salt.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dough is slightly golden and cooked through.  Remove from the oven, and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired.
7. Slice, and serve warm.

Homemade Biscuits

I made this on November 22, 2019.  The one on the right is from the website https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/08/the-food-lab-buttermilk-biscuits-recipe.html
The "Serious Eats" website failed me this time :(  











Ingredients
3 C flour
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 C COLD butter
1 egg
1 C whole milk I used almond milk.  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  
3. The secret to excellent biscuits is COLD butter.  Really cold!  I grated the butter directly from the freezer into the dry ingredients bowl.
4. Mix the butter with the flour but be minimal.  Don't go crazy.  
5. Add in the milk and egg and mix just until the ingredients are combined.  The dough will be sticky but don't keep working it.  You should be able to see the butter pieces in the dough.
6. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface.  Sprinkle some flour on to the top of the dough so it won't stick to your fingers and knead 10 to 15 times.  If the dough is super sticky, just sprinkle on some additional flour.  
7. Pat the dough out to 3/4" to 1" thickness (this is why my biscuits rose so well)!  Cut with a biscuit cutter or glass.  
8. Place the biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.  
9. Can brush tops with melted butter.  

Chinese Chicken Salad Wonton Cups

Ingredients

• 24 wonton wrappers

Salad Dressing

• 1/4 C rice vinegar
• 1/4 C shoyu
• 2 T honey
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Chinese Chicken Salad

• Cooked chicken, diced (I had leftover turkey so used that)
• 4 C roughly chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 C shredded carrots
• 2 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 C cilantro, chopped
• 1 C salted roasted peanuts, chopped
• salt to taste
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. and grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Take two wonton wrappers in your hand.  Lay them directly on top of each other.  Take the top wonton wrapper and turn it 90 degrees, so the corners are all facing opposite directions.
3. Place in one muffin tin and press down gently.  Repeat with remaining wontons.  
4. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from muffin tins and set aside to cool.

Salad dressing

1. Place vinegar, shoyu, honey, sesame oil, garlic powder, and ginger into a small bow.  Whisk until fully combined.  Set aside.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1. Place romaine, celery, carrots, green onion, cilantro, and peanuts into a large bowl.
2. Toss with desired amount of dressing (you'll have leftover dressing)
3. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.

Chinese Chicken Salad Wonton Cups

1. Fill each of the cooled wonton cups with 12 - 1 T chicken.
2. Top with salad and garnish with sesame seeds.

NOTE:  Can make the wonton wrappers in advance and store them at room temperature in a sealed container.  Make dressing earlier and store in the fridge.  Make the salad and store in a separate container into the fridge.  

Assemble right before serving so wonton cups don't get soggy.

Carnitas Enchiladas Cups

Ingredients

• pulled or shredded pork (use your favorite recipe)
• tortillas
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (4 oz) can green chiles, drained
• 1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce
• 2 1/4 C shredded hceese

Optional toppings:

• cilantro 
• green onions
• sour cream
• lime juice
• japapenos

Instructions

1. Grease 3 (12 slot) non-stick muffin tins with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. Stack tortillas on a clean work surface.  Using a 4.5" round cookie cutter, cut 4 rounds out of each tortilla.  Makes 36 rounds.
3. Gently press one round into one slot of the muffin tins to make a cup (be sure to keep a big opening, since you'll be stuffing these with filling).
4. Repeat with remaining tortilla rounds.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the tortillas are lightly crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Carnitas Enchilada Cups

1. Drain shredded pork and place into a large bowl with black beans, green chiles, enchilada sauce, and salt, to taste.  Stir until well combined.
2. Fill each tortilla cup with shredded carnitas mixture and top each cup with 1 T cheese.
3. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
4. Serve with optional toppings.

Sheet Pan Chicken with Peaches and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. small or cherry tomatoes
• 1 lb. peaches, cut into wedges
• 1 large red onion, cut into thin half-moons (2 1/2 cups)
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T Dijon-style mustard
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T honey
• 8 8-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange tomatoes, peaches, and onion in a shallow baking pan.  Drizzle with 2 T oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Toss to coat; spread in an even layer.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining 2 T oil, the garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Add chicken; tun to coat.
3. Arrange chicken breasts in another shallow baking pan.  Drizzle chicken with any remaining mustard mixture.  Place both pans in oven on separate racks.  Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is done (165 deg. F), stirring tomato mixture halfway and rotating pans top to bottom.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board.  Let rest 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, continue roasting tomato mixture until vegetables just begin to brown.
4. Cut chicken into thick slices, transfer to a platter and top with tomato mixture.  Serves 8.  

TIP:

If desired, brown the chicken after coating with mustard mixture.  In a 12" skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium heat.  Add half the chicken.  Cook 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.  Transfer to a shallow baking pan.  Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil to skillet if needed.  Roast as directed in Step. 3.  

Zucchini-Chorizo Sweet Corn Bake

Ingredients

• 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/8" thick ribbons
• 12 ounce ground chorizo
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 C whole milk
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 C fresh corn
• 1 1/2 C shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.  Place zucchini in a colander.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt.  Let stand 20 minutes.  Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, heat a 10" skillet over medium.  Add chorizo.  Cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes until cooked.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, milk, garlic and onion powders, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
4. Spread half the chorizo in an even layer in the prepared dish.  Top with half the zucchini, corn, and cheeses.  Pour half the egg mixture on top.  Repeat layers.  
5. Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes or until just set and top begins to turn golden brown.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.