Pfeffernusse Cookies

Jill Dorrough

1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup unsulfured molasses

1 large egg

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a brown paper bag.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda.
3. Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off tablespoons of dough; roll into 1 ¼ inch balls. Arrange balls 1 ½ inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Dough can be frozen at this point, cover tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month).
4. Bake until golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway though. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Working in batches place cookies in a paper bag; shake until well coated. Let cool completely on wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Jenn Parry Taco Soup

2 large boneless skinless chicken  breasts, cooked and cubed
1 onion diced and sauted
2 T. taco seasoning
28 oz petite diced tomatoes
1/4 t. kosher salt
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. Salsa Verde Green Salsa
8 oz cream cheese softened and cubed.
1 can corn
1 can drained and rinsed black bens

avocado & monterey jack cheese for topping

Put all in crock pot. Enjoy!

Aunt Annie's Soft Pretzels

Jill Dorrough

Makes 12 pretzels

1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 tsp  (half packet) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 tsp salt
4 cups flour (Jill uses kamut flour)  She purchases from The Food Nanny.

2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda

Bake at 450 for about 10-12 minutes.  Til light browned.

to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons butter (melted)

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.  Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.  Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp of baking soda.  Be certain to stir oftern.  After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.  Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.  Allow pretzels to rise again.  Bake in 450 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden.  Brush with melted butter and salt and enjoy!

Toppings:  after you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt, or cinnamon sugar.

Over-night Cinnamon French Toast

Niki Sepulveda

1 loaf Cinnamon Bread
8 eggs
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
3 c. milk
3/4 tsp. salt
2 T. butter

Place the sliced bread in a buttered 9x13 glass baking dish.  Mix all remaining ingredients except butter.  Cut butter into pieces and drop on top of mixture.  Refrigerate over night.  Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Note:  You can easily substitute the bread for any flavor you like.

Offret Monster Cookies

MIX:
1 pound butter
2 pounds brown sugar
4 cups sugar
12 eggs

ADD:
3 pounds peanut butter
8 teaspoons baking soda
18 cups oatmeal
1 pound chocolate chips
1 pound M&M's
1/2 cup vanilla
2 cups chopped nuts

Use an ice cream scoop to plop dough on pans, then smooth down.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.
Makes 80 large cookies.


HALF RECIPE

MIX:
1/2 pound butter
1 pound brown sugar
2 cups sugar
6 eggs

ADD:
1 1/2 pounds peanut butter
4 teaspoons baking soda
9 cups oatmeal
1/2 pound chocolate chips
1/2 pound M&M's
1/4 cup vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Use an ice cream scoop to plop dough on pans, then smooth down.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350.
Makes 40 large cookies.

Katie's Award Winning Crock-Pot Pineapple Chili

From here: Two Healthy Kitchens

Ingredients

• 20 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage (bulk, or links with casings removed)
• 1 medium onion, chopped to equal about 2 cups
• 1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits in juice (divided)
• 2 28-ounce cans seasoned diced tomatoes (such as Dei Fratelli)
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• shredded reduced-fat cheese, reduced-fat sour cream and hot sauce (such as Tapatío) for serving, if desired

Directions

1. In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook sausage and onions, stirring to crumble sausage. Once sausage is cooked through, drain off any fat and transfer the sausage and onions to your slow cooker.
2. Drain the pineapple, reserving both the juice and the fruit separately. Add the juice to the slow cooker. Cover and store the fruit in the refrigerator (it will be added toward the end of cooking).
3. Add tomatoes, black beans, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and garlic to the slow cooker.
4. Stir everything to combine.
5. Cook on low (6-8 hours), adding reserved pineapple during last hour or two of cooking, or on high (4-5 hours), adding pineapple during last ½ hour - hour of cooking.
6. Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and hot sauce, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Pineapple: The texture of the cooked pineapple is completely controlled by when you add it. We prefer to add it toward the end of cooking time so that it's still fairly firm. If you prefer it to be more melded into the chili or you simply won't be able to add it toward the end of cooking, then you can toss it in at the beginning – it will be cooked down and much less pronounced in texture, but still very good.

Beans or no beans: If you don't want beans in your chili, you may certainly leave them out, and can also increase the amount of meat. We love the texture and the health benefits of the beans, but feel free to try it different ways!

Spice: This recipe is intentionally fairly mild and kid-friendly. If you'd like more spice, you can increase the chili powder and/or sub in spicy Italian turkey sausage. Perhaps the best way to make it versatile for different palates, though, is simply to pass hot sauce at the table so everyone can season to taste.

Make-ahead: You can prepare the meat and onions the evening before, and then refrigerate until you assemble your ingredients in the slow cooker. You can also make the chili entirely in advance and freeze it in large batches.