Spicy Smashed Chick Pea Dip

1 can organic chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 T. extra virgin olive oil (you need the flavor of extra virgin)
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt
fesh ground black pepper

This mixture is kind of like hummus, but lemony and fresher tasting. Just put everything in a food processor and whip it until it's creamy. Not sure of a blender would work well. Serve with pita chips, warm pita bread or blue corn chips(my favorite). Yummy, healthy snack!

Fresh Pesto

Here's a little something that doesn't require much measuring.... just make sure one has fresh ingredients:

#1

Basil (I used some dried from the garden)

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese (grated)

Garlic cloves

Pine Nuts

2#

Have your taste tester make sure all the ingredients are fresh..

and then serve on good pasta and fresh tomatoes

( I usually make some, and freeze some too...--- with the frozen stuff, I dribble a little olive oil on top, so the top layer stays "green".)

ENJOY!

Comfort Food

At the right side of this picture, you will see a dish that Julie made for my Valentine party.  It is "Corn Pudding"a recipe from Susan Branch's "Autumn" book.  Putting a helping of it in your bowl before you pour on some chili is delish! 

1 cup sour cream
1-14 oz. can corn, drained
1-14 oz can creamed corn
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/4 tsp. paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix first 7 ingredients and pour into buttered 9" square baking dish or casserole.  Sprinkle top with paprica and bake 1 hour. 

If you are not having it with chili, you can heat maple syrup and serve over pudding hot ro warm. 

While the cookies were cooling

We needed to have something to distract us from the wonderful aroma while the cookies were cooling, so they wouldn't be all eaten from the metal rack. So, we worked on 2 puzzles & here is the result of one. Can you tell what the scene depicts? (Don't worry, --dad's feet in the fireplace were fine, since the logs weren't burning :)

Mom's Festive Cherryette Cookies

The Albrights made these cookies on Christmas day! These are one of our traditions. Dad says he used to make cookies with his mom in Allentown over 50 years ago.. This recipe is simple and yummy...

Ingredients:
1) 3/4 cup Olivio ( margarine)
2) 1/4 cup butter (or just use 1 cup of Olivio and skip the butter)
3) 1/2 cup (10X sugar)
4) 1 tsp. salt
5) 2 TBS. vanilla (the good stuff is from April)
6) 2 cups all purpose flour
7) 1 cup finely chopped pecans
8) Candied cherries (red and green)

Directions:
1. Cream butter/olivio & sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix into a soft dough. Let set a few minutes in a bowl.
3. Shape into 1 " balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Press a small indentation in center w/ tip of finger & place 1/2 candied cherry in each.
5. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 25 minutes. (If dough is dry, add a few drops of water.)
6. Eat and enjoy!

Finally!

Easy Black Bean Soup

2 T. olive oil

1 1/2 C. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 C. chopped green pepper ( I use poblano peppers)

1 C. chopped red pepper

3/4 T. cumin

1/2 t. cayenne pepper (up to 1 t. if you like it hot!)

6 C. low sodium chicken broth

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained)

Salt and pepper

Grated cheddar or jack cheese

Sour cream

Lime wedges

Crushed tortilla chips

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium flame. Add onion, garlic and peppers; cook until tender. Stir in spices and toss to coat vegetables. Pour in stock and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. In a blender(or using an immersion blender- much easier!), puree half the soup. Return puree to the pot and stir together. Serve hot with garnishes.

A good and easy snack!

"Sugary cinnamon meets salty pretzels in this super-easy gift-worthy snack mix."  A nice thing to make for your company today or take where ever you are going for Thanksgiving or any winter gathering.

Cinnamon Pretzels

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 - 16 oz package small pretzel twists

In a large roasting pan, stir together vegetable oil, sugar and cinnamon. 
Add the pretzels; toss well to coat with cinnamon-sugar.
Bake, uncovered, in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring twice.
Spread on waxed paper to cool. 
Store in an airtight container.

Makes 12 (1 cup) servings