Christina's Italian Meatball Soup

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Meatballs:
¾ pounds ground beef
½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 whole egg
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons black pepper
¼ teaspoons ground oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Soup:
3 TBSP olive oil
5 C beef stock
4 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP tomato paste
¾ cup onion, chopped
¾ cup carrots, chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 cup russet potato, chopped (do not peel)
½ pound cabbage chopped
4 teaspoons dried parsley
2 whole Bay Leaves

To make meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into small balls and chill for 30 minutes.

After chilling, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pot. Briefly brown meatballs, then remove to a plate. Drain some of the fat off. To pot, add beef stock, water, salt, tomato paste, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.

Add onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer 15 more minutes.

Add cabbage and meatballs. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Christina's Fennel and Fruit Salad, Two Ways

from Make and Takes

1 large fennel bulb, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced (peeled or unpeeled)
1/2 cup green onions, white and tender green parts only, sliced
juice 1 large navel orange (reserve zest for another use)
1-2 tsp. poppy seeds
dried cherries or cranberries
goat cheese or blue cheese, crumbled
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
a handful of raw walnuts or pecans

Toss the fennel, celery, apple, green onions, cranberries, cheese and walnuts together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, poppy seeds (if using) and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the veggies and fruit. Put a few big spoonfuls of the basic salad on a bed of greens and mix in.

Chicken Salad Recipe:

To the basic salad add:

A big spoonful of sour cream and/or mayo or yogurt (1/4 cup or so)
Chopped fronds of the fennel, to taste, but about 2 Tbsp. is great
A bit of grated orange zest
Cooked chicken (1-2 cups, canned or leftover is fine)

Serve on little rolls or croissants, or on its own, or on a bed of greens.

Christina's Deviled Eggs

6 eggs

1 tsp prepared mustard (dijon or regular)
pinch or two of salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp white vinegar
3 TSP mayonnaise
paprika


Boil the eggs until hard. Cool. Shell and slice in half. Remove yolks and mix with remaining ingredients. Spoon back into whites. Chill until ready to serve. 

Christina's Ultimate Ginger Cookies

These have quite the gingery kick. They are great, but it's not the type of cookie that you can just sit down and eat tons of them. I think they would be absolutely incredible with some eggnog--the perfect balance of sweet and spicy!

adapted from Ina Garten

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (6 oz) chopped crystallized ginger -- I used 1.5 ounces fresh grated ginger (and it was plenty) and 1.5 ounces granulated sugar
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger (or grated fresh ginger and sugar) and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with a cookie dough scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a ball, roll in granulated sugar and then flatten lightly with your fingers. Place on the sheet pans. Bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Christina's Pie Crust

from Our Best Bites

I like to point out when recipes are foolproof and I think that since I accidentally poured waaaaaay too much water into the dough all at once and had to dry to dig out what I could, meaning that I have no clue how much water actually got into it and it definitely wasn't sprinkled in but still turned out just fine, this one is practically impossible to mess up!

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C + 1 Tbsp. shortening (I prefer butter flavored.)
Ice water (about 1/4 C)

Combine flour and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add shortening in small cubes. Cut in shortening until you get pieces that are about pea-sized. Start sprinkling the ice water by about a tablespoon at a time over the flour/shortening mixture.

Very, very gently, turn the dough with your fingers so it gets exposed to the water. You're trying to moisten all of the flour/shortening mixture. Gradually, all of the flour mixture will be moistened. Gently pat the dough into a ball (it should come together easily but not be sticky).

Wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you're ready to use.

When you're ready to roll out your pie crust, lightly flour your work surface and place the dough ball on the surface. Starting in the center, roll the dough out into a circle shape, about 1/8" thick. When you've reached your desired thickness, place the rolling pin in the middle and gently fold the crust over the rolling pin. Lift the dough onto your pie plate and unfold it. Shape and finish edges.

Makes 1 9-inch pie crust.

Christina's Eggnog

6 eggs, divided and at room temperature
1/2 C. sugar
1 qt. half and half
1 C. milk
3/4 tsp. nutmeg (fresh grated is best, supposedly, but I never have it around)

On medium speed, beat egg whites and sugar together until thick and foamy (but not so long until peaks form). Add all other ingredients and beat together on low speed until blended. Top with whipped cream and sprinkled nutmeg.

Christina's Orange Julius

from my mom


25 ice cubes (auto ice maker size; I plan on measuring next time, but I basically fill the blender)
6 oz frozen orange juice (half a can of concentrate)
1/4 c sugar
1 c milk
1 c water
1-2 tsp vanilla

Blend all in a blender. Yum yum!

Ben's Cornbread, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

My husband is a much better cook than I am, at least when it comes to be inspired and making up new recipes. This is the stuffing he made for Thanksgiving (his first time ever making stuffing, I might add) and it turned out great! For those of you still in doubt, the first time he ever made chili he won a chili cookoff. Yeah, he's that good.

6 C cornbread (1 paula deen recipe), cubed and dried
6 C white bread, cubed and dried
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 small or 1 med-large Granny Smith apples
1 C chopped celery
1 small-medium onion
1/3 C dried cranberries
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 C chicken broth

Place all bread cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with all seasonings and stir.

Brown sausage. Remove meat from pan, but keep drippings. Add onion, celery and apples to pan with butter and saute until soft. Add cranberries for the last few minutes to rehydrate.

Add sausage, veggie mix and chicken broth to bread and stir to coat. Place in 9x13 pan or 2 9x9 pans. Bake 30 minutes for 9x13 pan or 20 minutes for 2 9x9 pans.

Christina's Sweet Potato Casserole

2 40 oz cans of sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
5 TBSP butter, melted
2/3 C sugar
1/2 TBSP salt
4 large eggs
1 TBSP flour
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

Mix all and place in greased 11x15 glass dish.

Topping

3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C flour
1/3 C butter, melted
1 1/2 C pecans, diced

Mix flour and sugar. Add melted butter and pecans.

Sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Christina's Orange/White Chocolate Molasses Cookie Variation

To the wet ingredients of the molasses cookies add the zest from 3 large oranges. 


Melt some white chocolate, about a half bag of white chocolate chips, melting in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Take the cooled cookies and dip the edges in the chocolate; shake in the air a bit to let excess chocolate drip off. Lay the cookies on waxed paper or parchment until the chocolate is hardened. 

Christina's Soft Molasses Cookies with Pumpkin Dip

from Kim Moore

3/4 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Add molasses. Combine dry ingredients and mix with batter. Chill, then shape into one inch balls and roll in sugar (optional). Bake at 375 degrees on ungreased cookie sheet for 6 to 8 minutes.

Dip

4 oz cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill.

Christina's Chicken and Dumplings

from Our Best Bites

6 cups chicken broth
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 c. sliced carrots
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
1/2 tsp. basil
1 14-oz. can evaporated milk
1 recipe of Bisquik or Jiffy dumplings (recipe is on the box) or 2 cups brown rice

In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium heat and add onions and garlic (and brown rice, if using). Saute for a few minutes and then add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, and basil. Bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until carrots and celery are tender. When carrots and celery are almost done, add chopped parsley. Add evaporated milk. Increase heat to boiling and add prepared dumplings by small spoonfuls. Cook until dumplings are cooked through (they should appear moist but feel firm).

Christina's Bacon Onion and Cheddar Biscuits

 from the Pioneer Woman Cooks

10 slices thick cut bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup finely diced onion
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 C + 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 heaping cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until all combined. Combine milk, oil, and egg in a separate bowl. Whisk together.

Combine flour mixture, milk mixture, bacon, onions, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir gently until all combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes on 375 until golden Remove from pan and serve warm.

Lorri's Breadsticks

1 Tbsp yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
3 cups flour

Dissolve yeast and sugar into warm water. Mix salt and flour together and then knead in yeast mixture for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Grease 2 cookie sheets with butter or shortening. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick on floured surface. Cut into sticks ½ inch wide. A pizza cutter makes this very easy! Place on cookie sheet and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt, sesame seeds, and grated parmesan cheese. Let rise ½ hour. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Christina's Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

adapted from Buffy Vandagriff Bailey and Posie Gets Cozy

3/4 pound - 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons (or 1 tsp dried sage)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
1/4 Parmesan or Romano, plus more for grating

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Return pan to the stove. Add the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add sage, and stock to the pan. Simmer for about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream and 1/4 C Parmesan cheese. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add drained pasta to sauce. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of grated cheese.

Christina's Tortellini Sausage Soup

from Our Best Bites

3 links Italian sausage or 3/4 lb. bulk sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider or apple juice and some extra cinnamon
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. dried parsley

If you're using link sausage, remove the casings and crumble into a large soup pot. Begin cooking sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently. If your sausage is fatty, you'll want to drain it when it's about halfway cooked. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

Christina's Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

from Melanie Andersen Williams

1 pound cubed beef stew meat
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1 beef boullion cube
1/2 packet onion soup mix (optional)
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
8 oz mushrooms, sauteed

In a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, boullion, Worcestershire sauce and water.
Cook on Low setting for 6 hours, or on High setting for about 3 hours. Stir in mushrooms 1/2 hour before serving. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream just before serving. Season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Garnish with chives or green onions. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Christina's Mixed Potato and Sausage Soup

from Smitten Kitchen

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 10 ounce fully cooked smoked Portuguese linguiça sausage or chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Spanish chorizo or smoky Kielbasa can be substituted)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach

1 can white beans, drained (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage to soup. Stir in spinach and simmer just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and serve.

Christina's Plum Upside-Down Cake

from Simply Recipes by Elise

Ben does not like fruit desserts, but he requests this over and over! It does need some slightly sweetened whipped cream or heavy cream drizzled on it to cut the tartness a bit.

10 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
4 plums, pitted and sliced
5 Tbsp buttermilk OR 4 Tbsp milk plus 2 teaspoons milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1/2 an orange (or one clementine!)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 6 Tbsp of the butter in a deep dish pie plate in the microwave. Add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Arrange a layer of plum slices on top.
2 If you are not using buttermilk, combine milk and lemon juice in a small bowl (the mixture will curdle), set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3 Use an electric mixer to beat together the remaining 4 Tbsp butter with the granulated sugar and orange zest. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix to combine. Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the buttermilk (or lemon soured milk) mixture to the batter.
4 Pour batter on top of plums. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until cakes are firm to the touch, and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center does not come out with raw batter on it. (Might be wet from plum juice.)
5 Remove from oven and let cool on a rack until no longer hot to the touch. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pie plate. Invert onto a plate and gently lift off of the plate.

Makes 6-8 individual servings, depending on how you slice it.

Christina's Scalloped Tomatoes

from Smitten Kitchen who adapted, only slightly, from Ina Garten

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups bread from French or Italian bread, whatever you have, in a 1/2-inch dice
2 1/2 pounds good tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed (or 3 TBSP dried)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add the bread cubes and stir so that they are evenly coated with oil. Cook cubes, tossing frequently, until toasty on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are toasted, add the tomato mixture and cook them together, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Pour into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm with a big green salad, a bean salad and/or a poached egg.

This also works well as a chunky tomato sauce for pasta dishes.

Christina's Chocolate Meringues

from Erika Sanofsky Loveland

These are a great way to get rid of leftover egg whites!

4 large egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (such as Hershey's)
2 (1.4-ounce) chocolate-covered toffee bars (such as Heath), crushed or 2 ounces chocolate chips
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, and candy bars (or chocolate chips or whatever sort of chip you have lying around) in a small bowl, and mix well. Fold half of cocoa mixture into egg whites (egg whites will deflate quickly). Fold in remaining cocoa mixture until smooth. Drop the egg mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes (puffs will be soft in center).

Christina's Tropical Strawberry Shortcakes

adapted Our Best Bites and Throwdown with Bobby Flay

1 recipe Basic Baked Scones

4 C sliced fresh strawberries
½ C white sugar
4 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

Coconut Whipped Cream (from Throwdown)

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar or granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ C toasted coconut

Mix sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside. Stir occasionally over about 15 minutes. You want the sugar to dissolve and form a light syrup.

For the coconut whipped cream combine the heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer and mix until soft peaks form.

Split scones in half (or slice angel food or pound cake) and layer on strawberry-lime mixture. Include some of the syrup. Place top half of scone on top and top with a generous dollop of the coconut whipped cream. Finally sprinkle with toasted coconut.

I also drizzled some sweetened condensed milk on the scones (underneath the whipped cream) and it was an awesome addition.

Christina's Basic Baked Scones

from Our Best Bites

1/3 C real butter
1 ¾ C Flour
3T sugar
2/1/2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg, beaten
6 T milk
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until it resembles fine crumbs.
Combine egg and 4T milk. Slowly pour milk mixture into dry mixture while mixing with a fork to combine.

Gently pat dough into a circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Brush top with milk or beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with sugar, if desired.

Cut into 6 wedges and separate on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. The tops will not brown, but the bottoms will be golden-brown and the tops set. Keep an eye on them and don't over-bake.

Christina's Spicy Spaghetti with Sausage

original recipe

3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1 recipe Scalloped Tomatoes, prepared but not baked
6 oz fresh spinach
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and set aside.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in large skillet. With 3-5 minutes remaining, add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in scalloped tomatoes and heat through. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in cooked spaghetti and heat through. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Serve.

Christina's Brazilian Limeade/Lemonade

from Our Best Bites

4 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they're the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 C sugar
6 C cold water
6 TBSP sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. Wash limes thoroughly with soap. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender. Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you'll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk.

Serve immediately over ice. This does not keep well, so don't make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance).

Christina's Cherry Macaroon Tart

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1/2 pound (2 1/2 cups) cherries, washed
1 1/4 cups flour (can add some whole wheat flour if desired)
2 1/2 cup shredded coconut (divided)
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed (divided)

scant 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350F degrees with racks in the middle. Butter an 9-inch tart pan and line with parchment paper. Pit the cherries, cut each cherry in half, and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, 1/2 cup of the coconut, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and mix until dough is crumbly but no longer dusty looking. Press the mixture into the prepared pan (it should form a solid, cohesive base), and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In the meantime prepare the coconut topping by combining the remaining 2 cups coconut and egg whites. Mix until well combined.

Evenly distribute most of the cherries across the tart base. Now drop little dollops of the macaroon topping over the cherries, and mush/press the coconut topping around a bit into the spaces behind the cherries. Be sure to let at least some of the colorful cherries pop through the topping for visual flair. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the peaks of the macaroon topping are deeply golden. Let tart cool, and garnish by sprinkling any remaining fresh cherry halves across the top.

Christina's Orange Thai Beef Skewers

from Our Best Bites

Here's the thing: once again, this is not authentic Thai. But it's pretty darn good. 

1 orange

1/4 C soy sauce

1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 T honey

1T sesame oil

1 t ground ginger

1 t coriander

4 cloves garlic

2-4 t Sriracha chili sauce*

1 1/2 lb flank steak (or whatever you've got) skewers (if using wood/bamboo make sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before use.)

*Again, if you don't have it, just throw in some crushed red pepper or cayenne.

In small bowl, zest your orange. Cut the orange in half and juice into the bowl. You should have at least 1/4 C orange juice.To the orange mixture, add soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, coriander, and garlic. Add Sriracha/spice to your taste. Whisk.

Take the flank steak and slice it across the grain into about 1/4" slices. It helps to pop the steak into the freezer for 20 minutes or so before hand. Place steak in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade in. Allow to sit in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

After time has elapsed, remove steak from fridge and place into bowl. Thread steak onto skewers and discard additional marinade (or save some for basting, if you want to). The original recipe explains how to grill these. I don't have a grill. I put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes per side and they turned out great.

Serves 4-6, depending on if you use these as an appetizer or part of a main course. The best way, of course, is to serve them with sticky rice and peanut dipping sauce. 

Christina's Thai Peanut Dressing

from Our Best Bites

Can be used as a salad dressing (add 2-4 TBSP water to get a good consistency) or a dipping sauce for satay.

1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 t sesame oil
1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 T minced ginger
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/4 t kosher salt
2-3 t Sriracha chili sauce*

Blend it all together. Makes about two cups.

*If you don't have chili sauce or can't find it, just toss in a little crushed red pepper, but not too much! Chili sauce isn't actually very hot, and you don't want any hot spice overpowering the flavor.

Christina's Vanilla Pudding

from Bitten

2 1/2 cups half-and-half, cream or whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

1. Put 2 cups of half-and-half or milk, sugar and salt in a small or medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook just until the mixture begins to steam.

2. Combine the cornstarch and remaining milk or half-and-half in a bowl and blend; there should be no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken and barely reaches a boil, about 5 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to very low and stir for 5 minutes or so until thick. Stir in butter and vanilla extract, if using.

3. Pour the mixture into a 1-quart dish or 4 to 6 small ramekins or bowls. (If the mixture has small lumps, you can put it through a sieve.) Put plastic wrap directly on the pudding to prevent formation of a skin (don't cover if you like skin). Refrigerate until chilled, and serve within a day, with whipped cream if you like.

Variations

To make chocolate pudding, shave or finely chop 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or I used semisweet chocolate chips). Stir into pudding with the butter.

Christina's Cilantro-Lime Marinade/Vinaigrette

from Our Best Bites

1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. canola oil
1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed

In the jar of your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken down but still maintains some of its texture. Serve with greens, on any type of Mexican salad, or use as a marinade for any meat.

Christina's Sundried Tomato Risotto

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

4 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ whole Large Yellow Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cups Arborio Rice, Uncooked
8 whole Sundried Tomatoes Packed In Oil, Drained And Minced
1 cup Dry White Wine (optional)
7 cups Chicken Broth
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 cup Parmesan, Freshly Grated
¼ cups Heavy Whipping Cream
Fresh Basil, Chiffonade (optional)

Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add dry rice. Stir to coat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring gently. Pour in wine. Stir and cook over medium-low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add in minced sundried tomatoes and stir.

Begin adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring gently while the rice absorbs the liquid each time. Repeat this until the rice is done—it usually takes between 6 and 8 cups of broth. The rice should have a slight bite to it, but not be crunchy at all.

Remove from heat, then stir in Parmesan and heavy cream. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Christina's Green Enchilada Sauce or Salsa

from Our Best Bites

2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 green peppers, chopped
1-2 jalapenos
1 1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
4 c. chicken broth

In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender and fragrant.

While onions are sauteeing, combine tomatillos, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro in your blender. Process until smooth; you may have to do it in batches and/or add some chicken broth to make things blendable.

Pour the tomatillo mixture over the onions and garlic and add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer/boil 15 minutes-1 hour, depending on the consistency you want. The sauce can also be simmered in a slow cooker all day.

Serve over tacos, as an enchilada sauce, inside burritos, or as a dip for chips.

Christina's Brigadeiros

from Serious Eats

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 T of butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 T powdered sugar

Chocolate sprinkles, mini M&Ms, coconut, crushed pistacios or other nuts, crushed cookies (optional)

1. In heavy saucepan, mix chocolate with condensed milk, stirring constantly under low heat. Add butter to mixture.
2. Stir until mixture no longer sticks to pan.
3 Pour mixture into a bowl and allow to cool completely.When cool, roll into small balls.
4. If you'd like, place toppings in a second bowl. Take a small amount of chocolate from first bowl and roll into a tiny little ball. Coat the ball with second topping, if you'd like.
5. To store, place in sealed container inside your fridge. They'll stay good for two weeks.

Christina's Whole Roasted Chicken

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

* 3-4lb Whole Chicken
* Something to stuff inside the chicken (Apple, Onion, Lemon, Garlic, Carrot, etc..)
* Canola Oil
* Salt and Pepper (1 1/2 T kosher salt, 1 1/2 t pepper)
* Fresh Herbs (1 -2 Tablespoons)

You can stuff various items into the chicken for roasting and this will provide additional moisture and aromatics that will help to flavor the chicken from the inside.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Pick the herbs from their stems and chop them. Toss those herbs into a bowl and add in your salt and pepper. Add to that 2-3 tablespoons of Canola oil and mix together. 

Stuff the aromatics into the nether regions of your chicken. Pat chicken dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Begin rubbing the chicken down with your canola-herb-salt-pepper mix. 

Slide your herb coated chicken into oven for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes until they are golden brown and have developed a delicious crust. Once the chickens have roasted, let them rest for 10-15 minutes.

Christina's Crock Pot Beef and Balsamic Onions

from $5 Dinners

1 2.6 lb. beef roast
2 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. In a large pot, sear or brown the beef roast on all sides in a little olive oil.

2. Slice onions into strips. Crush garlic clove with flat part of the knife. 

3. Place seared roast into slow cooker with the oil that it was seared in. Season with salt and pepper.  Add sliced onions and smooshed garlic around the roast.  Sprinkle about 1/4-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar into the slow cooker.

4. Cook on low for 8 hours.

CPK's BBQ Chicken Pizza

from the Pioneer Woman Cooks

1 pizza crust 

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C barbecue sauce (try this one; we love it!) plus more for crust
olive oil, for drizzling
kosher salt for sprinkling
16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (or just normal mozzarella works fine)
1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
cilantro, chopped, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Salt chicken breast on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breast and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Roll/stretch out pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion. Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut and serve immediately.

Christina's Steak and Mango Salad

from Our Best Bites

1lb steak (the original recipe said flank steak... I don't know the difference between the cuts, so I used whatever we had and it was good)
1 head romaine lettuce or green-lettuce mix 
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 mangoes, sliced
2 avocados sliced
cilantro sprigs for garnish
1/2 C caramelized macadamia nuts (optional, I left them out and they were fine)

Dressing and Marinade


Side note: I thought this made a great marinade, but was lacking as a dressing. I think I would add some grated onion, more brown sugar, orange zest and maybe even a little teriyaki sauce (just a little!) to the dressing. I think pineapple juice could also be good.

1/2 C fresh squeezed orange juice
6 T fresh lime juice
6 T soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 T fresh ginger or 1 1/2 tsp dried ginger (I used dried since I don't like ginger chunks.)
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 C olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic (and any extra ingredients you might be tossing in). Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Continue whisking while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until combined. Reserve about 3/4 C* (you could also just choose to add any ingredients to this reserved mix as it will be the dressing) and place the rest of the mixture in a zip-lock bag.

*Important note: Make sure when you're pouring out the 3/4 C you are constantly mixing the mixture to assure even distribution of ingredients.

Lightly score the steak in a diagonal pattern on both sides. Place steak in the zip-lock bag with marinade and leave in fridge for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

Caramelize the macadamia nuts, if you want to add them. Basically you saute them in 2 T brown sugar, 1/2 T light corn syrup, 1/2 T butter and 1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional) for about 5 minutes or until they smell fragrant. Like I said, I didn't do this. No nuts and no time. 
Remove steak from fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking and leave at room temperature. You'll want to let the dressing portion to sit at room temp during this time as well. Heat grill (or grill pan for those of us without grills) to med-high heat. Remove steak from bag and let any excess marinade drip off if cooking on a grill. If using a grill pan, cook it right in the marinade. Cook steak for about 5-8 minutes on each side or until done. In order to stay tender, steak should still be pink in the middle, but nicely seared on the outside. When done, remove from grill and wait at least 5 minutes before cutting to let the juices redistribute. Then slice into thin slices.

Divide lettuce onto plates and top with slices of mango, avocado, and red onion. Add steak slices and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle macadamia nuts on top and garnish with cilantro.

Christina's Easiest Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together. Plop on cookie sheet in balls. Mash with a fork to make that cute criss cross. Cook until done.

Addendums: I cooked mine for 10 minutes at 350. Also, I thought they were a little too sweet and so I used a rounded 1/2 cup of sugar the second time, but I'd say 90% of the population would prefer them just how they are. Also, I tend to toss in some chocolate chips just for fun.

Lorri's Carrot Souffle

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
3 pounds carrots, chopped
6 large eggs
1 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt


Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the carrots, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Combine the carrots with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to so this in batches.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole.

Combine the brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter in a medium bowl. Stir to blend. Scatter the mixture over the top of the casserole and bake until the topping is lightly browned, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Lorri's Cheddar, Onion, and Sour Cream Drop Biscuits

5 1/2 Tbsp cold butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps chopped fresh basil
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream (or buttermilk)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1. Saute onion until translucent in 1 1/2 Tbsp butter. Add garlic adn cook for 30 seconds then remove the pan from the heat.
2. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and add the basil. Cut the remaining butter into the mixture. Add the cheese and onions.
3. Blend the sour cream and milk together. Gently mix into dry ingredients and let stand until for 5 minutes.
4. Scoop blobs of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes at 425.
(As a note - do not use silpat because you will never get them to smell the same. Onion and garlic taste delicious in a biscuit but not on a cookie.)

Christina's Eggplant Pasta with Bacon

original recipe

1 pound pasta (rotini, radiatori or anything similar is good)

1/2 onion, diced
4 strips bacon, chopped into bitesize pieces
1 large eggplant, diced
1 T minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 15 oz cans diced Italian tomatoes in olive oil
1 15 oz can tomato sauce


salt and pepper

Make pasta according to package directions and set aside.

In large skillet, saute bacon and onion until fat is rendered and onion begins to soften. Add eggplant and cook 3-5 minutes or until eggplant begins to get soft. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until eggplant is completely cooked. Add cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss with pasta and serve.

Christina's Greek Pizza

original recipe

1 batch pizza dough
2 T Greek viniagrette dressing
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 tub of crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch rounds and roasted (45 minutes in an oven at 450 degrees)
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into rounds

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Press the pizza dough into a rimmed cookie sheet. Brush Greek vinaigrette onto dough. Top with all toppings except the tomato. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is browned. Take from oven, cut into slices and top each with a slice of tomato. Enjoy!

P.S. I am not an olive fan, but for those of you who are, I think this would be good with some olives on top. Also, I added some mozarella chunks because I had them leftover in my fridge from making rice balls and it was great, so if you have some mozarella feel free to add it!

Christina's Stir-Fry Sauce

adapted from Kate's Kitchen

1/4 onion or 1/4 c. green onion, chopped (I used about 1 T dried chopped onion and it worked well)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. soy sauce

2 t. lemon or lime juice

2 t. rice vinegar

1/2 t. dried pepper flakes

1/2 t. powdered ginger or grated fresh

1/4 t. sesame oil
1 T honey

Heat up a large skittle and add a couple T. of oil. Add desired meat (4 - 8 oz) and cook briefly til done. Add veggies of choice (2-3 cups chopped) and fry for a couple minutes. Add sauce ingredients. Toss and serve over rice.

Christina's Green Goddess Rice

from Kate's Kitchen

4 c. cooked rice, still warm
2 avocados
2 c. basil leaves
1/2 c. chopped parsley
2 lemons, juice and zest
2 T. olive oil, the greener the better
a pinch cayenne
salt and pepper

In a blender of food processor, mix avocado, basil, parsley, lemon, oil, cayenne, salt, and pepper until creamy. Fold into warm rice.

Christina's Quinoa with Roasted Tomatoes

adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Pearl Couscous with Olives and Roasted Tomatoes

For roasted tomato dressing
1 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For quinoa
2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous or quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 TBSP dried parsley
1 TBSP dried mint
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Roast tomatoes and make dressing:
Preheat oven to 250°F.

Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan. Roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes.

Purée with garlic, oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

Make quinoa:

Make quinoa according to package directions in chicken broth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Eat and enjoy!

I also had a bit of leftover chicken, which I added. I think pork would taste good in this, too.

Lorri's Cottage Cheese Biscuits

I realize Christina has already posted her ultimate biscuit, which I have been meaning to try since I saw it on smittenkitchen but haven't yet. This is another alternative to baking powder biscuits for days when you bought a large vat from Costco on a craving and now it never piques your interest. They are delicious!
Taken straight from the Food Network - I didn't change a thing.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 16-oz. container low fat cottage cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl or the bowl place flour, salt and baking powder. Stir until combined. Add butter and mix until the size of small peas. Add the cottage cheese and stir until just combined.

Using a large spoon, drop onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lorri's Cranberry Shortbread

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies book

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries or cherries
zest of half an orange

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.with a rack in center. Combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. (I did it in my KitchenAide until the dough started to come together.) Stir in dried cranberries.
2. Pat dough evenly into an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. (Line with parchment paper for easy removal.) Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface.

Christina's Mushroom Soup

from Tasty Kitchen via PW Cooks

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Small Carrrot, Finely Minced
1 whole Celery Stalk, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, Crushed And Minced
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
4 ounces white wine
1 can tomato paste1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large deep pot.

Mince the carrot and celery nice and fine.. Toss into the pot and allow them to soften while you slice the mushrooms. Next, add your garlic, right as the carrots and celery start to cook down. Add the mushrooms to the pot and allow them to reduce and soften. Pour in the wine and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes.

Add the tomato paste and the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a soft boil. Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Let this cook for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and blended with the soup. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Salt and pepper the soup to your own tastes.

Christina's Poppyseed Dressing

adapted from Our Best Bites

1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. Kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 green onion, ends removed (both the "hairy" end and where the green part starts to get floppy)--I left this out and it was fine.
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

In a blender, combine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. While the blender is running, add the green onion. Continue running the blender and add the oil in a steady stream and is fully incorporated into the dressing.

Pour the dressing into a serving or storage container and whisk in poppy seeds. Serve over leafy greens.

P.S. I liked this dressing, but didn't think it was amazing. I thought it was a lot better after I added about 1/3 cup Dijon mustard.

Christina's Spinach Mandarin Poppyseed Salad

from Our Best Bites

8 oz. (1/2 bag) of baby spinach

1/2-1 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 thinly sliced medium red onion

1 large avocado, cubed

8 oz. mozzarella or Swiss cheese, shredded

1 12-oz. package bacon, cooked and crumbled--I used ham instead and it was great!

1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained--Blech. I used fresh mandarins instead.

Poppy Seed Dressing, to taste

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. When ready to serve, toss with desired amount of salad dressing and serve immediately.

Christina's Cream Biscuits

from Smitten Kitchen

I don't usually make comments since this blog is just for my own personal use, but to any friends and family members who might read this, you need to go make these biscuits. They are super easy, only have a few ingredients (I made them without the sugar) and are the best biscuits that I have ever made. I'm throwing away all my other recipes. No joke. Also, I think they would work well with whole-wheat flour, although you'd obviously need to adjust the amount to make up for the difference in absorption.

2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Melt butter in a small pot or microwave dish, and set aside. Sift two cups flour, the baking powder, salt and (if using) sugar into a large bowl. Fold in 1 1/2 cups cream.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into rounds 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Gather dough scraps and continue to make rounds. Brush the top of each round generously with butter. Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Die of happiness.

Christina's Cranberry Muffins

adapted from Ann Poulson

3/4 c halved cranberries
1/2 c powdered sugar
Mix berries and sugar and let stand.

Sift together:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flower
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c sugar

Mix and add to dry ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1 c milk
1/4 c butter, melted

Mix until dampened, do not beat.
Fold in berries.
Put in greased muffin cups.
Bake 20 minutes at 350.
Makes one dozen.

Christina's Curry Soup with Cauliflower

adapted from Angry Chicken

1-2 yellow diced onions
4-5 Yukon gold potatoes cubed
1 head cauliflower chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
lemon juice for 1 lemon
2 cups chicken broth
coconut milk

In a bit of olive oil, saute the onions about 5-7 minutes. Add the spices and the potatoes and saute another 5 minutes. Add the chopped cauliflower. Then add the broth and a bit of water--you need to cover everything. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cover. If you are in a hurry this will take about 40 minutes to cook, otherwise I let it simmer all day. Puree with the stick blender and then add the lemon juice and enough milk to change the color and make it creamy. Taste and add more salt/pepper/cayenne as needed.