From the Food Network website.  They’re amazing and taste like Mexican hot chocolate.  I’ve changed a few of the directions around because I thought it made more sense this way, but the result is still the same.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch ground black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 Tbsp. sweet butter, at room temperature*
• 3 Tbsp. margarine, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or substitute by using 3/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup plus 2 1/4 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly, making sure no lumps remain.
2. In another bowl, mix butter and margarine thoroughly using hand mixer.  Add egg white and vanilla, mix.
3. Add sugar mixture to butter mixture, mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients.  Add this mixture to other ingredients.  Mix slowly until incorporated, then mix with hand mixer until thoroughly combined.  (Don’t start with hand mixer or flour will make a mess.)
5. Roll into a log about 1 1/2 inch thick, wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
6. Cut into slices no more than 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cook at 350F for 12-14 minutes.
8. Optional:  Once cooled, top with dulce de leche and/or chopped almonds.

*If you don’t have sweet butter, use regular butter or margarine and omit the 1/4 tsp. salt.

It’s time for me to make Christmas cookies again!  My usual recipe:

This makes approximately a metric shit-ton of cookies.  For Christmas, I like to split the dough in half and color half red and half green, then put the opposite color icing on each.  Then I take them to work, family gatherings, anywhere where people like food.

Ingredients

• 4 sticks margarine, melted
• 3 ½ cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 16 oz. sour cream
• 8 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a VERY LARGE bowl.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Smash with glass bottom dipped in sugar.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are brown.

These freeze well, unfrosted.

Couldn’t find a recipe I liked, so I read several recipes to get the general idea of how to construct this, then went at it.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 large carrot, julienned (can be parboiled, but I like them a bit crunchy)
• 1 medium potato, thinly sliced and parboiled
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs fresh fennel
• salt & pepper

Directions

1. Take out two pieces of aluminum foil or parchment paper big enough to make a packet to cook the fish and veggies in.
2. Brush melted butter on the foil up to an inch from each edge.  (Don’t use all the butter)
3. Divide the potato evenly between the two packets, brush more melted butter over the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place a salmon fillet on top of the potatoes in each packet. Brush with more butter.
5. Thinly slice garlic and place on top of fish.  Place fennel sprig (or whatever herb you choose to use) on top of fish.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide carrot between the packets and place on top of fish.  Brush with the rest of the butter.
7. Cook at 400F for about 20 minutes, until cooked through.  (Less if you prefer your salmon medium rare-medium).
8. Let sit 5-10 minutes before eating.

You could substitute another fresh herb instead of fennel, but I love the flavor combination of fennel and carrots.  Basil or oregano would probably be delicious as well.

Found this recipe that I haven’t made in a while.  Planning on making it for dinner tonight.  From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 2 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts  (can use thawed but frozen turn out better)
• 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
• 4 thin lemon slices
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and coat with cooking spray.
3. Rinse chicken breasts under lukewarm water, pat dry and place on baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and top with lemon slices.  Bake for 30 minutes. (15 minutes if you use thawed chicken breasts)
5. Prepare sauce mixture by mixing remaining ingredients in microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 1-2 minutes (until heated through).
6. Drain juices from chicken baking pan and remove lemon slices.
7. Spoon heated sauce mixture over chicken.
8. Return to oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, until done.

Adapted from a Recipezaar recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chorizo
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• large flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine

Directions

1. Remove chorizo from casings, crumble, and cook in a skillet.
2. Remove from heat and mix in salsa and cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Roll chorizo mix into tortillas, cut in half and place in baking dish.
5. Brush tortillas with butter (skip this step if you don’t want them crispy).
6. Cook 15-20 minutes.  (Took 18 in my oven)

Top with or dip in cheese, sour cream, guacamole, whatever you like.  I just ate them as-is.

Chicken Ingredients:

• boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• olive oil
• pepper
• garlic powder
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Chicken Directions:

1. Coat chicken in olive oil, season with pepper and garlic powder.  Let marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Mix breadcrumbs and cayenne pepper, coat chicken with mixture.
3. Cook at 475F for 10 minutes.

Pasta Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. chicken bullion
• 3 Tbsp. stick butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 lb. chosen pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine is best)

Pasta Directions:

1. Cook pasta to desired consistency.
2. Mix remaining ingredients a small saucepan and boil for 10-15 minutes.
3. Pour over pasta and serve.

I made with garlic bread – butter, italian seasoning, garlic, & mozzarella cheese.

B-day dinner for the boyfriend tonight.  Recipe is from his dad.

Ingredients

• olive oil (not extra virgin, has too low of a smoke point)
• 12 cloves garlic
• onion (sliced)
• 2 bell peppers (sliced)
• salt & pepper
• Italian seasonings
• Italian sausage
• 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Bring cast iron skillet to medium heat, add a Tbsp. of oil and 12 cloves garlic, brown garlic.
2. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add a Tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and Italian seasonings.
4. When peppers are 80% cooked, remove to a bowl.
5. Add a little oil to the pan and add the Italian sausage.  When well browned, add the peppers and onions back in to reheat.  Add the fennel seed.

This recipe will also re-season the pan every time it is made.  Serving them on good kaiser rolls.

The top is cake-like and the bottom is creamy and pudding-like.  From the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Instructions

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8×8x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar, the 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, the baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla.  Stir in the walnuts if you choose to use them.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
3. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa powder.  Stir in the boiling water.  Slowly pour over batter.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.
5. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 45 to 60 minutes.  Serve warm.
6. Spoon cake into dessert bowls, spoon pudding from the bottom of the pan over cake.

Goes really well with vanilla ice cream.  It’s VERY VERY rich, and perfect with a big glass of milk.

Made this with fried rice last night, but I ended up not using the recipe I had and made it my own way instead.  Turned out amazingly well, and here’s the recipe.  Would’ve worked really well in the right kind of fajitas, too.  Next time I’m making a lot more, but that’s all the steak we had left.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. dark molasses
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. Accent seasoning
• 1 tsp. chives (fresh is best, I used onion chives)
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Combine all seasoning ingredients up through chives in a small plastic container.  Close and shake to combine.
2. Give it a taste test, add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add steak, shake to coat.  Marinate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove steak from marinade and cook in a little oil in a frying pan.
5. When nearly cooked through, drain off any juices in the pan, season steak with pepper, stir, and allow to finish cooking.

From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 (16 oz.) can cinnamon apple pie filling
• ¾-1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix the softened cream cheese and ¾-1 cup powdered sugar together until smooth and no lumps are visible.
3. Place 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture and 2 Tbsp apple pie filling on each of 8 tortillas.  Roll up as you would an enchilada and place in a greased baking pan.
4. Pour the ½ cup melted butter over the enchiladas.  Mix the granulated sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
7. Mix ¼ cup melted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and milk together.  Pour over enchiladas.